Come To Life: Into the Outerworld: SAO After Alicization
by kahail
Summary: AU: What if Rath was hiding a secret deeper than even Kirito knew? A.I. may have been the final product of Project Alicization, but the doctors at Rath had been harboring another, darker experiment below STL in the Ocean Turtle. What if Eugeo and Alice had met a different fate? What if they were out there somewhere in the real world? Could finding each other return lost memories?
1. Chapter 1: Awake

**_AU Post Alicization Arc:_**

_ What if Rath was hiding a secret deeper than even Kirito knew? Bottom up AI may have been the final product of Project Alicization, but the doctors at Rath had been harboring another, darker experiment deep below the newest STL in the Ocean Turtle. __Perhaps those Kirito had known in the Underworld met a different fate. Were Eugeo and Alice, his two best friends, just a figment of artificial fluctlights?_

_Or was there more to their existence than Kirito or even Rath themselves could fathom._

_What if Eugeo and Alice were out there somewhere in the real world?_

Eugeo opened his eyes.

The room around him was blurry and dark with shadows. He couldn't make out anything but a grayish blur around him. Shutting his eyes again and pausing to focus he tried opening his eyes much more slowly. The same blur of shadow met his gaze and he blinked once, twice, and again in a vain effort to make out something among the grayness. At first, he thought maybe he really was dead, as even the memories of before started to grow hazy...the last fight...pain.

He shut his eyes tightly and urged his mind to remember, but there was an odd sensation, his thoughts went black as his vision. Why couldn't he remember? It was said that those who died had visions of their life and memories as they were ushered into the afterlife, but for him?

_Nothing._

Just the gray blur and dark shadows closing in on the last fragments of color that hung in his mind.

_He couldn't lose these._

One last time he willed himself to open his eyes and stared hard into the rush of shadows that met him. Then he blinked once, twice, and again, forcing himself each time to reopen his eyes and repeating over. Gradually he became aware to two things, his slow uneven breaths and the blur and shadows retreating from his eyes.

_No he couldn't be dead._

_The dead didn't breathe._

As his vision cleared, he was able to make out the walls around him, windowless and gray. The ceiling above was glowing with some dull square of light, just bright enough to illuminate his surroundings, which seemed to be quite sparse. It was at this moment he became aware of a thud in his chest...his heartbeat.

_He wasn't dead._

_He couldn't be dead._

At this realization his breaths became more shallow and quick with anxiety.

_"Where am I?"_

His eyes were now free from the glazey blur and he could clearly make out a single door at the end of his feet, which were covered in a plain white blanket. The gray walls came more into focus and he could see there were pieces of paper and what looked like charts hanging on either side of the door. Of course, the writing was too small for him to make out, so he let his eyes dart back and forth trying to gain some bearing on the room he was in. His right side was dark, but he could make out the shape of a table in the shadows that seemed to be covered in bottles of varying sizes, all the words hidden by the lack of light.

As his eyes went left, he noticed the first sound meet his ears, a low whirring followed by a small beep every few seconds. Straining his eyes as far left as he could, he found the source of the various noises that slowly met his ears. Machines, three or four of them, with various noises and sounds as well as small lights that blinked at first one, then two, three, and more colors that his eyes began to recognize...green, yellow, blue... red.

The one red light was the only one that didn't flash or blink and just next to it, Eugeo noticed multiple cords rising up beyond where he could move his eyes. Below the red light, the same cords continued down to the floor, but then rose up into his line of vision again. A few of these cords were attached to his arm.

_"But why?"_

Concentrating all his will power towards his left arm, Eugeo tried to move. First his fingers, which seemed both numb and weighed down by something, then his arm, which he was only able to move slightly before feeling that it was stuck. Trying again, he realized that his arm could possibly move but something, perhaps the mysterious cords were restraining him. Then he gradually become aware of the same feeling in his right arm, legs and feet. Panic rose up in his chest and he tried at last to move his head, which also seemed restrained in place. His eyes looked back to the left again and up as far as he could follow the cords until he saw part of a screen. In the bottom corner there were numbers rising and falling, following some sort of line that also rose and fell in jagged motion.

Eugeo's breaths became even more shallow and fast as his panic stricken body tried desperately to move. His heart had gone from a dull thump to a roaring beat in his chest and as he struggled to move and free his left arm from the cords, he felt a sharp pain shoot up his arm and into his chest. He continued to struggle, as the beeps of the machines grew alarmingly loud. Glancing down and feeling the panicked sweat on his forehead, he noticed tubes that seemed to be stuck up his nose. The sudden feeling of discomfort caused him to try and open his mouth and scream, only to realize that his throat too was restricted by some sort of tube. The pain in his chest rose and fell as quickly as his heart pounding, and he felt as though both it and his head would explode.

The door to the other side of the room flew open suddenly, and multiple figures in white coats and surgical masks rushed into the room murmuring loudly. The shadows whisked away as bright lights flew on and a rush of activity met Eugeo's frightened gaze. Two of the figures, women, were standing to the right of him pawing through bottles on the silver metal table and whispering to each other. At his feet, another woman stood with stack of papers in her hands yelling out something to the figures on his left...three men in long white coats. One was turned towards the machines frantically pressing buttons, the second was next to him, tapping away on the left side of the walls which had suddenly lit up with some strange glowing light. The third figure was beside him speaking the loudest. It was this man's voice that Eugeo could finally understand the words.

"HE'S CONSCIOUS! HEART RATE 160 AND CLIMBING! WE'RE LOSING HIM! NURSE!"

The other voices, at first a muddle of gibberish suddenly became understandable.

"DR. HIS HEART RATE IS CLIMBING TOO FAST"

"CHECK THAT MONITOR AGAIN"

"150 MILLIGRAMS. STAT!"

At this point Eugeo's mind was swimming, and he felt the pain in his chest move into his lungs as he gasped for air. The closest man leaned over him and Eugeo could finally make out the face of a serious, dark haired, middle-aged man. He shined a light into Eugeo's eyes, which didn't even blink in the brightness that had suddenly started to fade back into shadows.

"Stay with me, alright!"

The man's face became blurry as Eugeo's consciousness slipped away.

"NURSE! THE INJECTION! HURRY!"

Eugeo felt a sharp pain in his right arm followed by a tingling sensation that ran up and down his whole body, as it began to go numb. The voices of those around him faded and the sharp pain in his chest turned fuzzy. He struggled to keep his eyes open as an overwhelming sensation of dizzy sleepiness flooded over him. The doctor's face looked less worried, or was that just his vision going blurry? But he couldn't let his eyes close again; he wasn't going to fade into the darkness again.

_"I'm not going to die"_

The last words he could make out were those of the serious man's face, hovering above him, before he slipped into an unconscious stupor.

"GET THE OTHERS. QUICKLY NURSE!"


	2. Chapter 2: Discovery

Asuna sat, gazing out the widow onto the rolling ocean waves. That was all she could see, besides part of the deck bellow Kirito's room. They'd been on the ship for months; Rath wouldn't let her leave after she had broken her way in. But a lot had happened. So much that it overwhelmed Asuna to the point of tears. She turned away from the window and back to Kirito who was sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed next to her. It had been two weeks since he had finally come to, his severe brain damage not yet fully assessed. He had spoken to her a few times with a sleepy, faraway look on his face that had not yet assured Asuna that he was truly back to normal. But she had some faith in the doctors here, even if she didn't trust Rath. Kirito was alive after all, and they had thought that he might never wake up again.

"Asuna?" Kirito's soft voice broke her concentration and she turned to look at him. His eyes were half open and he looked tired and confused.

"Do you hear that Asuna? People running? Yelling?"

He barely got the words out before the door burst open and a doctor followed by two nurses rushed in, completely out of breath.

"Please, Ms. Yuuki you must come quickly!" He turned to the nurse beside him who was pushing a wheelchair. "We must bring Kazuto with us as well. Let's get him into that wheelchair, carefully nurses, carefully!"

"What the heck is going on! You can't move Kirito he's too weak!" Asuna dove in front of him as the nurses took each of his arms.

"Ms. Yuuki, one of the test subjects has woken up, we are in great need of both of you before we lose him. This test subject is more valuable even than Kazuto here."

"What do you mean by that? Don't hurt Kirito! He's weak!" Tears welled up in Asuna's eyes as the doctor helped her up.

"Asuna, I'll be alright," Kirito murmured as the nurses settled him into the wheelchair and looped his various IVs and cords around it. Then he looked up at the doctor, "I didn't know there were other test subjects here."

"There's no time to talk about it now, Kazuto, we must go! Nurse grab those charts over there too!"

Asuna grabbed Kirito's hand as they were whisked out into the hallway. At the end they were taken to an elevator and down. When they exited, the first thing Asuna noticed was the 'SECURITY CLEARANCE 1" sign on the door, which after the doctor took a retinal scan and typed in a code, opened, leading them down an empty, gray hallway. Along the hallway there were four doors, each looked closed and locked. However, at the end of the hallway they stood facing a fifth door with the words

"MAXIMUM SECURITY. TEST SUBJECT 5"

and another retinal scan and code, before the door opened.

"What the hell is this place," Asuna, now shaking turned from Kirito to the doctor.

"The foundation of Rath's research," he muttered, "Please, hurry, come in. But put these on first." He handed them both long white smocks and surgical masks.

The room they entered was small and cold. Two of the walls were dull gray, plastered with charts, notes and diagrams. The wall on the left was lit up as a screen, showing more charts, numbers, and a scene from a green meadow. In the middle of the room was a large hospital bed, partially covered by what looked like an older version of the STL that also took up the wall facing them. Half a dozen doctors and nurses were huddled around the bed and the screen to the left of it. In the bed lie a pale, thin boy about the same age as Kirito and Asuna. Neither of them could make out his face, which was obstructed by a respirator and other medical equipment, as well as the connections to the STL-like machine. From what Asuna could see he had soft, messy blond hair. Aside from the white blanket covering him to the waist, he wore a plain gray hospital gown and at least a dozen IVs were attached to his arms. The nurses backed away as they wheeled Kirito up to the bedside and he and Asuna could get a better look at the boy, who was shivering slightly. His arms, legs, and neck were in restraints that also seemed to be tracking his vital signs on the computers and screen next to the bed. A faded plastic band on his right wrist read,

TEST SUBJECT NO. 5. APRIL 2008. PROJECT ALICIZATION.

Asuna gazed at the boy for a moment in wonder. His skin was pale and his arms were thin and bruised from the IVs. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes sunken into his pale face, almost hidden by his dirty blond bangs and the STL gear on his head. She had let go of Kirito's hand in shock at the boy's appalling state, but suddenly felt him beside her grow restless and grab her arm.

"Asuna, Asuna, we, we know, we know him..." he stammered. "Look, Asuna, look, look closer...it's...it's..."

Asuna came to the realization as soon as the words left Kirito's mouth. This boy, though almost wasted away, looked more than just familiar, she knew him, Kirito knew him. They had fought side by side.

"_Eugeo_," the name left Asuna's lips before the stunned Kirito could finish stammering. "But, how, what? Why? How is Eugeo, here?" She turned to the doctor beside her, as she and Kirito started shaking from shock and the chill in the room.

"Why is he here?! Tell me...TELL ME," Kirito raised his hoarse voice and grabbed at the doctor's arm. "What the fuck is all of this!? What have you done to him?! I thought he..."

"Please, calm down, Kazuto, Asuna," the doctor pulled his arm out of Kirito's grip and backed away nervously. "Please, let me explain to you."

"Explain what? I thought Kirito was the only test subject here?" Asuna snapped, "You said the STL and the Project Alicization were about producing artificial fluctlights and AI? What do you have, an army of unconscious kids down here? What the hell is going on?!"

"Please," the doctor bowed his head, "Please there is so much more to explain and not enough time for that now. All I can say now is that Test Subject 5 is one of Rath's original subjects for this project, even before the STL was fully produced. Five were chosen and from them Rath was able to study and clone the fluctlights needed for their artificial counterparts."

"You said they cloned the fluctlights of newborns," Kirito said breathlessly, "What the hell is a kid my age..." he stopped mid sentence.

"Test Subject Five is one of those original subjects whose fluctlights were cloned as a newborn." The doctor looked away from them and at Eugeo. "Like the other test subjects, Five was almost stillborn, child of a drug addict. He was revived shortly after birth, but his heart had stopped for enough time...we...we...weren't sure of the brain damage. Since he had to be surrendered to the state, we took custody in order to study and eventually clone his fluctlights. He wouldn't have survived under the care the typical hospital could provide."

"What...the...hell..." Kirito's voice breathed rage, "So you've kept him here as a comatose lab rat for what...18 years!?" He slumped back into the wheel chair, breathing hard. Asuna patted his shoulder, "Kirito, you're still weak, please, try to calm down." Then she turned back to the doctor.

"He's right though, what have you been doing with Eugeo for 18 years? How the heck has he survived like this?"

"Please, Kazuto, Asuna, I will explain more, but for now all you need know is that Test Subject 5, like the others, was placed in state of the art equipment," he pointed to the restraints around Eugeo's arms, legs, and neck, "that stimulated neural pathways, muscle and bone growth, as well as medication and hormone replacement. Aside from the 18 year coma, Test Subject Five has grown and developed like any other human would."

"That's another thing," Asuna cut in before Kirito could speak up, "Why do you keep calling him Test Subject Five? His name is Eugeo! And where are the other test subjects? Numbers One through Four? Why can't we see them?!"

The doctor looked taken aback at the mention of Eugeo's name but continued. "Test Subject Five is the only test subject who has survived this long. All the others succumbed to their health conditions years ago, only the clones of their fluctlights lived on in the Underworld."  
"You MONSTERS!" Asuna gasped, "You let them die?!"

"Of course not Asuna. They had all the same state of the art care as Test Subject Five, and all came from similar circumstances. For some reason, Test Subject Five's brain wave patterns differed, however, from those of the others. At first it wasn't the case, but we began to notice it around the time the subjects were aged four to five years old. The others' brainwaves began to wane, but Test Subject Five's remained normal. Of course, the cloned fluctlights thrived in the Underworld, but part of the experiment was also to see if the STL could in fact reverse normally irreparable brain damage on living human subjects, a study which you also underwent, Kazuto. For the other four subjects, this wasn't the case, but however, Test Subject Five seemed to, in perspective of his circumstances, thrive. Those brain waves are why we brought you two here."

"Stop calling him Test Subject Five, his name is Eugeo!" Kirito glared up at the doctor. "I don't know what's going on here, but I know that's Eugeo, the same Eugeo I knew before! I don't know what the hell all of this means..."

"Kazuto, please," the doctor interrupted, "The reason you are here is because of the experiments. While you were in the STL, and while Asuna dove into the STL briefly, we monitored all your own brain waves and fluctlights closely. Not only did we compare them to the artificial fluctlights, but also we compared them to those of the test subjects, most notably, Test Subject Five, whom you call Eugeo. These brain waves formed like patterns, mirroring those in the real world when people interact with friends, family, or those familiar to them. Through much research, which there is not time to explain to you given the current circumstances, we've extrapolated that, somewhere in the Underworld, your own fluctlights and those of this boy, Test Subject Fi," he paused, "...Eugeo... must have interacted and known each other. Is that correct?"

Asuna's jaw dropped in surprise, "You could tell that just by brain waves?"

"This experiment and project go deeper than Rath would let on," the doctor said, "Again I am not at liberty nor have enough time to explain the why and what, but from the fact that you and Kazuto are calling Test Subject Five by the name of Eugeo, you must have some neural connection with his fluctlight from the Underworld? Yes?"

Kirito and Asuna nodded.

"Then this is what I need from you. The way this project was set up, none of the Test Subjects were predicted to live very long, much less completely survive in these conditions. We only sought to make them as comfortable as possible for study and let them die peacefully when their time came. However, Test Subject Five has done more than just survive under these conditions, he has grown, and..."the doctor paused and looked back at Eugeo, "he has regained consciousness after 18 straight years in a coma."

Asuna gasped and grabbed Kirito's arm. "You mean he's really alive? Can he hear us?" She looked, eyes widened with fear and wonder, on the pale boy, seemingly unconscious lying beside them.

"He has been heavily sedated," the doctor turned back to them. "The shock the body incurs coming out of a coma that long, when he has never even breathed on his own... well, it's enough to cause cardiac arrest or a seizure. Luckily, we were able to sedate him enough in time that we can slowly bring him back to consciousness without such a shock on his body. What we still aren't sure of are the psychological affects of being in a coma for this long. While the STL does not allow a subject to retain much, if any, memories of their dive, we have not tested this theory on subjects who never functioned outside of the STL's care. I believe based on the brainwave scans and the fact that you know this boy by a name, that he knew you in the Underworld at some point and may still be able to recognize you if he regains consciousness in this world. Not only would it reduce stress on the body by providing the sight of familiar faces, but, we've hypothesized that fluctlights of those who have been bonded in friendship and familiarity will recognize each other, even under extremely different conditions. I'm sorry I can't explain more, but we are losing time. If we keep this boy sedated like this for much longer, we may lose him all together."

"But," Kirito gazed at his friend, tangled in a mass of wires and medical equipment. "What if he can't survive, even if he recognizes us? It's not like he can breathe or function on his own, and no one should be forced to live in this reality, hooked up to all this equipment."

"That's a risk we must take," the doctor bowed his head, "We've done many experiments and tracked the vitals of this subject for so long, even before he was placed in the STL, but there is no way to truly tell if the artificial growth hormones, and neural stimulation really worked... if they really mimicked the actual growth and development that humans go through. From what we can see here, they have to a great degree," he turned to the nurse and nodded his head. She turned and typed in a code on the pin pad next to the monitor that showed Eugeo's vitals. With a slow, loud hiss, the confines on his wrists, legs and neck released and the other nurses bend towards him, gently removing the sensors from his head and chest. The other doctor gently eased the tubes out of his nose and throat, and while Asuna turned away in fear as they pulled the respirator out through his mouth, Kirito kept his eyes fixed on his friend without blinking.

"Alright," the nurse said as she turned the respirator off and the doctor finished pulling it out of his mouth, "Let's see if he can breathe on his own."

For a moment, Eugeo was still, neither his chest, nor his mouth moved. Then his whole body gave a violent shudder and he began gasping hoarsely for air.

"What the hell!" Kirito yelled, "Do something! He's going to suffocate!"

"Nurse wait," the doctor held his hand up as the nurse tried to put the tube back down the gasping boy's throat.

"He'll DIE, doctor," Asuna fought back tears as Eugeo's cheeks tinted purple and blue, "He can't breathe on his own! You did this to him! Let him be at peace!"

The doctor continued holding his hand up as Eugeo gasped and shuddered for air. Suddenly, he stopped and heaved a huge breath in. They all stood in shock, as the boy seemed to run out of air.

Then...

He gave a huge cough, another shuddering gasp, and took one more breath of air in and out.

"Nurse, the oxygen," the doctor said in a low voice. The nurse pulled a regular oxygen mask over Eugeo's nose and mouth. They stood in silence watching as the pale color returned to the boy's cheeks, his chest stopped convulsing and evened out into a series of short, but steady breaths.

"Incredible," the doctor muttered slightly louder. Then he turned to Kirito and Asuna. "This boy has never breathed a breath on his own, and look."

Asuna, tears streaming down her face, couldn't answer, but Kirito, though weak, looked the doctor in the eye and growled.

"If you ever let him suffer like that again, I'll make sure you _die_."

The doctor cleared his throat and continued, "Since we are going to gradually bring him back out of this coma, as I was saying, we want the two of you to be what he sees, since the interaction of fluctlights will be beneficial not only to his physical but psychological well being. We are not monsters Kazuto, we are medical professionals. I have watched this boy's development in a coma for almost eighteen years, and if I can return him to a normal or somewhat normal life after all of this, then I have done my duty as a doctor." He turned again to the nurse, "Please, turn off IV 6, let the sedative work itself out." The nurse pressed another couple of buttons and a loud beep issued from one of the machines as she carefully pulled one of the many IVs out of Eugeo's arm.

"The sedative will wear off momentarily," the doctor said, stepping back.

Asuna, wiping her eyes on her sleeve gazed back at Eugeo, then she looked down at Kirito and gently pushed the wheelchair up to the side of the bed. Kirito leaned forward and placed his hand softly on that of his friend.

"Call his name," the doctor added, "Please. We'd like to see if he can respond to the name you called him by in the Underworld."

Kirito nodded and gave Eugeo's hand a gentle squeeze. "Hey, Eugeo, can you hear me? Eugeo, hey, it's me, Eugeo, it's Kirito..._Eugeo_..."

The boy's eyes fluttered slightly.

"Eugeo," Asuna added breathlessly, "Come back to us, please Eugeo!"

_Voices_.

He could hear them, but not make out what they were saying, or whether they were even human or not.

"_Eugeo, come back to us!"_

Yes, they were human. This one sounded... _female_.

"_Alice?"_

The voices grew louder. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open. Gray shadows loomed before him, but the color and clarity returned much quicker than last time.

_Dark and light hair. _

_A girl. _

_Alice? _

_No, not Alice. _

_A dark haired boy._

Eugeo's eyes fully opened. The walls of the gray room surrounded him, as well as a dozen or so faces, staring blankly at him. One of these faces was closer than the others, a dark haired boy about his age. The features slowly came into view, a serious gaze, gray eyes, and dark bangs. Eugeo knew him, _he knew him_.

_Kirito_.

He tried to open his mouth to speak, but it was restricted by the mask that covered it. Eugeo twitched and tried once more to move his arms. This time he could, they were no longer restrained, but his arms were so weak and sore that he could barely move his fingers. He grasped, desperately trying to raise his hand to rip the mask off his face, but his arms and hands wouldn't move. His head swam with pain and dizziness. Suddenly, another face came close to his and muttered something while carefully removing the mask from his face.

Words met his ear.

_"Doctor, what if he can't breathe?"_

_Breathe?_

Eugeo panicked for a moment before taking a huge gasp. The air he breathed in was cold and dry. His eyes opened wider and he could clearly make out the face of his friend.

"K...k...ki...kiri...kirit..." he gasped, "Kiritoo..." his voice was so hoarse it was barely audible but he took another jagged breath and forced his weakened vocal cords to obey.

"Ki, _Kirito_..."

He took another breath of air in and the cold, dry feeling hurt his lungs. He shut his eyes momentarily as the pain overwhelmed him, but slowly re-opened them to meet the gaze of his friend, who looked terribly worried.

_How was Kirito here?_

Eugeo tried to open his mouth again but exhaustion overcame him and he grit his teeth against the pain welling up in his lungs.

_Why can't I talk? What the hell?_

Kirito leaned closer to him, "Eugeo you can hear me?"

Eugeo gathered all the strength he could muster and slightly nodded.

"He's very weak," the doctor's voice cut in as the nurse bent over Eugeo's arm, checking the IVs.

_Weak? What the hell happened to me?_

Eugeo focused hard and opened his mouth again, the pain was incredible, but he was able to speak one short sentence before the pain and exhaustion overwhelmed him into a stunned silence.

"Kirito, where... am...I?"

His breath failed him and he began wheezing hoarsely. The face of the nurse appeared again and covered his nose and mouth with the mask that brought warm, soft air back to his lungs.

Kirito sat, stunned. Eugeo's voice was barely audible but he could make out the words.

_"Where...am I?"_

He leaned forward and placed his hand gently on his friend's shoulder as the nurse replaced the oxygen mask over the gasping boy's face.

"You're safe, don't worry," his voice wavered with emotion, "Don't try and talk too much, Eugeo, you're weak."

The pale boy stared back at him, his green eyes looked confused and frightened as they darted from Kirito's to Asuna's faces' and back and fourth among the doctors and nurses who were all excitedly whispering to each other.

"It's unbelievable that the boy could even speak," one of the doctors muttered as a nurse quickly took notes. "The growth hormones and neural stimulation weren't projected to produce speech, perhaps the STL..." their voices faded away as Kirito, shaking, turned back to Eugeo, who's eyes were shut against the pain.

"Doctor, don't you see, he's in pain, what the hell?"

"Nurse, IV 3, please," the first doctor turned to the nurse closest to the machines.

"We are giving him a heavy dose of painkillers, he will probably fall asleep."

Kirito and Asuna watched nervously as the nurse plugged in numbers on the screen and a loud hiss, followed by fluid running down the IV into Eugeo's arm accompanied it. The boy's green eyes became hazy and he seemed to fight off the affects of the powerful painkiller, but quickly succumbed as his eyes fluttered shut and his breaths became longer and more relaxed as he drifted off into a manufactured slumber.

"Well, what are you going to do with him now?" Asuna turned back towards the doctors, her fists clenched and her eyes on fire. "Are you just going to leave him like this or do something more to help him?"

The doctor smiled vaguely as the rest of the nurses and doctors began gathering charts and leaving the room. "The boy is in a relatively stable condition now, it will take a lot of time for him to gain the strength to talk and even move on his own. But we are determined that he will, Miss Yuuki, Kazuto. For now though, he must rest, the pain his body has incurred just from simple breathing must be more than most healthy humans can bear. For now he will have to be heavily medicated and monitored closely. We will of course, be moving him to one of the state of the art medical rooms that housed you, Kazuto, with a more updated STL and equipment." His voice trailed off as the nurses began unhooking and reconnecting wires and IVs. Eugeo, though sedated, was still shivering.

"He's cold can't you see that!" Asuna exclaimed. She quickly removed her sweater and draped it across the shivering boy's chest. The nurse closest to Eugeo looked surprised and reached to pull the sweater off, but the doctor held up his hand and replied

"Nurse, it's alright, let the boy be."

Then he turned to Asuna and Kirito. "Remember, this boy has been kept alive all these years by advanced medical equipment and the STL. His body has never had to regulate his own breathing or temperature even. With much patience, we believe that he will be able to survive on his own, but it will be a long, hard recovery. He will endure much pain, more than you can possibly imagine, but I believe that if his mind and will have kept him alive for this long that he will be able to make it."

Asuna turned away, tears rolling down her cheeks as one of the nurses gently escorted her from the room.

Kirito kept his eyes locked on his friend's face. As the other nurse leaned over to pull his wheelchair back, he reached out again and grabbed Eugeo's hand.

"I won't leave his side, doctor. I won't let you take him from my sight!" As the nurse tugged gently, Kirito tightened his grip on Eugeo's cold, bony hand.

"Kazuto." The doctor placed his hand on Kirito's shoulder.

"Do you hear me?" Kirito's voice swelled with rage, "You WON'T take Eugeo away from us again! I'm not leaving his side, you hear me? I'm not LEAVING! I won't abandon my friend, you can't make me!"

The doctor stood taken aback for a moment before shooing the nurse away.

"Very well then, Kazuto. From what I've seen, you and Miss Yuuki are vital to Test Subject Five's survival and recovery. However, I hope you know this means you will not be leaving the care of Rath anytime soon."

Kirito's eyes locked with the doctor's gaze, "I'm staying here as long as it takes." His gray eyes burned with emotion. "I won't leave Eugeo's side until he's well again...I promise."

**Notes: **

**Since fluctlight acceleration takes place in the most recent version of the STL, obviously Eugeo wasn't placed in that equipment until more recently. As the doctor explained Eugeo, Test Subject Five, had been in their care for 18 years and had been placed in various versions of the STL and studying with other equipment. The clones of his artificial fluctlights were altered and only in the latest working version of the STL was he able to meet Kirito and Asuna. He has no memories of former lives before.**

**Chapter 3 is on its way!**


	3. Chapter 3: Realization

A soft, warm breeze touched Eugeo's cheek. The sunshine was so bright that he covered his face with his hand in order to look up at the nearly cloudless sky. Below his bare feet the grass was soft and cool as he walked through the field towards the large tree looming at its edge, towards shade. He heard faint laughter in the distance and his steps began quickening as he called towards the tree.

_"HEY! Guys! Wait up! Wait for me! WAIT!"_

As he ran faster and faster his breaths grew harder and shorter and he felt the sweat on his brow grow cold, even under the warm summer sun.

_"WAIT! Don't leave! Don't leave me behind!" _

_"ALICE!"_

A rush of darkness and his eyes suddenly opened. Once more he faced a plain gray ceiling and the sound of whirring and beeping machinery.

_I was...dreaming?_

His eyes darted back and forth for a moment trying to get a bearing of his surroundings. This room was bigger.

_Different_.

_Where am I now?_

Glancing down he noticed that there was no mask covering his mouth, just some small tubes that seemed to be shoved up his nose. His breaths were shaky, but even. For a moment he focused on his breaths, then tried once, twice, and finally cleared his throat.

A small sound rustled next to him and suddenly, a brown haired girl's face appeared above him.

_Asuna?_

"Eugeo? You're awake!" She leaned forward and brushed his bangs out of his eyes, her eyes wide. Now he could see her more clearly. He blinked again and shook his head slightly, then looked back at her. Asuna looked the same, but somehow different than she had when he had seen her before. Her skin was pale but her cheeks flushed with surprise, her hair seemed shinier than he remembered and her voice was sweeter.

Eugeo coughed slightly. "Asuna?" his voice hardly above a whisper. "Where...where's Kirito...and...Alice?..." he coughed again and winced at the sudden pain in his lungs.

Asuna leaned closer to him. She didn't recognize the name Alice, but put her hand on Eugeo's shoulder to comfort him.

"Don't worry, Eugeo, you're safe. Kirito is here too, but he's been asleep. He got too upset about everything and they sedated him again. Try not to move too much or they'll come back in and pump you full of whatever they gave Kirito." She looked more fiercely beautiful and scared than he ever remembered seeing her before.

"Safe?" he forced one more word out.

"It's complicated," Asuna looked down and away from him. "I can't really tell you all about it now, hopefully Kirito wakes up soon, he can explain it to you better...I just...can't."

"Where?" Eugeo's head started to swim again but he forced his eyes to stay open.

"I honestly don't even know," Asuna said, "All I know is we're trapped here by Rath and the doctors, I don't know when or if they'll let us go." She turned away again and sniffled. "But you have to rest, Eugeo, you have to get stronger, that's what Kirito said. Don't worry, I'm watching both of you, it'll be okay." She placed her hand on his; it was soft and warm against his chilled skin.

He nodded slightly at her, closed his eyes and drifted off into a blank, dark slumber.

"He spoke to you?" Kirito's eye's widened. "What did he say? Did he remember anything that we couldn't?"

Asuna shook her head, "No. He can still barely speak. I doubt he can remember anything that we can't remember as well. But he did say something..." she trailed off.

"What?" Kirito grabbed Asuna's shoulder. It had been a week since they had found out about Eugeo. The doctors had moved them to one of the larger STL rooms with a few small windows. The light poured in and illuminated all the equipment and the pale, hollow face of Eugeo. He had apparently spoken shortly with Asuna, after which he returned to a restless slumber, sometimes interrupted by a few incoherent mumbles and small movements. When Kirito had finally come to, he watched his friend, desperately waiting for him to wake up, but so far, Eugeo continued to sleep. He had only spoken to Asuna, who was afraid the doctors might have been monitoring him and further sedated him.

"He asked about someone, another name," Asuna shook her head again in frustration, "But it wasn't a name that I could remember...it was...hmmm...Al..._Alice_."

Kirito focused hard. "_Alice_?" The name welled up in his mind, but no voice or face came to him.

_Alice_.

_Had she been there in the Underworld with them?_

"I think we knew her," he turned to Asuna, "I can't remember, but the name...the name _Alice_ ...I just know that I've heard it somewhere. I can't put a voice or face to the name but I think Alice was with me and Eugeo in the Underworld somewhere."

"I wonder where she is now?" Asuna asked. "Can you remember anyone else besides me, Eugeo, and Alice... from the Underworld?"

Kirito closed his eyes and thought hard. He could clearly see Eugeo and Asuna in his mind, and even at the name Alice...a flash of blonde hair...a faint laughter...

"I knew her," he whispered. "Why can't I remember. _Shit_!" He clenched his fists and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Asuna I can't remember."

"But you can," she touched his cheek gently, "You remember me, and Eugeo. If this Alice's name makes you feel something, you must remember her too! Which means...which means she's out _here_ somewhere."

Kirito met Asuna's gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"Look, Kirito, you and I can't remember anyone else besides each other and Eugeo from the Underworld. If you can remember this Alice's name, and Eugeo, and me but not anyone else or their names...it's like the doctor's said...fluctlights interacting in the STL similarly to those of people who interact with their friends and family in the _real world_...this Alice...she's somewhere out here too...if you and Eugeo both remember her... even if it's just her name...she has to be _real_."

For a moment they were both silent, then Kirito threw his arms around Asuna and kissed her cheek.

"You're right! She's got to be out here. Asuna you're a genius! That must be what Eugeo meant. There's another test subject they aren't telling us about...this..._Alice_."

Asuna blushed. "I mean it's just a thought, it seems rational enough." She always felt embarrassed when she thought of something that Kirito hadn't thought of; she second guessed herself despite the fact that she was truly intelligent in her own right.

"We have to find her then," Kirito looked back over towards Eugeo. "The only way we're going to figure this shit out is if we find her as well...maybe she'll have the memories we've lost or at least a way to recover them."

"Yes, hopefully," Asuna wrapped her arms around him tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.

Slowly, Eugeo's condition improved. He woke up again, but seemed lost and unable to speak even a whisper, his whole body trembling with a mixture of pain, panic, and cold. The doctors surrounded him immediately, running test after test and giving him more injections that would supposedly improve his muscle movement and strength. Eugeo grew tearful and frightened by the needles, and the stretches the nurses forced upon his limbs. When he gave a whimper or yelp of pain, the doctor would order another dose of painkillers and the nurses would continue tests on the groggy and confused Eugeo until he drifted out of consciousness. They said the tests and medicine would help accelerate the healing process, but Kirito protested against all of it. In return, the lead doctor would just shake his head and draw the curtain that divided the room, saying that Kirito was too emotional and didn't understand. Asuna usually dissolved into tears, begging the nurses to be more gentle and not to frighten Eugeo, who still clearly had no sense of where he was. At night he seemed to sleep miserably and often woke them up with his soft, hoarse crying. There was nothing they could do to comfort him, it seemed they were being watched and Eugeo was seldom without a doctor or nurse bent over his charts and IVs writing notes or checking numbers on the screen next to his bed.

One morning they found he had been taken away and moved from the room to another for closer observation. Kirito flew into a rage and tried to pull himself out of bed, yelling that he would kill them all if they did anything to hurt his friend. The doctor sighed and the nurses held Kirito back as he was given another dose of sedatives and told that everything would be alright. Asuna, through tears, asked where they had taken Eugeo and why they were doing this, and if Kirito would be alright, but they told her to stop asking questions and left. Days passed and neither of them heard anything, even when the nurses passed by to check Kirito's vitals. A sense of dread overcame both Kirito and Asuna. Kirito had promised Eugeo he wouldn't leave him, and now neither of them knew where he had been taken and if he was even alive.

The new room Eugeo had been moved to was small and completely white. He was placed in a new hospital bed and various sensors were attached to his limbs and joints. Every morning he was woken up and given various dosages of medicines and injections, as well as a thin colorless gruel that at first he couldn't keep down, vomiting painfully at the first swallow. But the doctors were relentless that he would adjust to solid foods and eventually he was able to eat a small bowl for breakfast and one in the early evening. For the most part the strong medications took the edge off, but Eugeo was often shivering cold and flinched at the sight of anyone coming into the room. For a week after he first was able to eat, he became feverish and confused, but the doctors kept telling him he would improve. As more time lapsed he gradually started to become more alert and aware and would gaze around the plain white room, searching for some clue as to where he might be. Eventually, he came to the realization that he truly wasn't where he had been before, though the plain walls and the same doctor and nurses' faces day after day gave him no clues to where he might be as of now.

Since being taken away from Kirito and Asuna he was subjected to more tests, as the doctors pushed what little strength he had. His cries of pain in protest didn't seem to faze them as they forced him to perform small, menial movements that caused immense pain throughout his entire frail body. He was usually given heavy painkillers after each exercise, which would knock him into a semi conscious slumber, only to be awoken again to the aching feeling in his body as the medicine wore off. His speech became more coherent, though he found the doctors only wanted him to recite words and phrases that they repeated to him, day after day. They asked him questions as well, about what he was feeling and thinking, although his complaints were always answered with mutters and nodding heads.

The more he spoke, the more vivid his dreams were, when he eventually fell asleep. Not vivid in the sense of his memories returning, because the dream was always the same: he was in a field, running towards the edge, towards the trees, towards shade. Sometimes he heard the voices of Kirito and Asuna, though he couldn't make out the words, especially after he woke up and tried to recall them. One night, he heard a third voice and saw a flash of long blonde hair, and awoke in terror as the memories faded away. This ritual continued for what seemed like an eternity, before they finally moved Eugeo, who was now able to sit up on his own and move his arms and legs, back to the room where he had been before without any explanation.

It was late in the evening, both Kirito and Asuna were asleep, Asuna in the large chair by the window, curled up against a few pillows with a blanket draped over her shoulder, and Kirito, lying still and quiet in bed, his face towards the window and Asuna. Eugeo watched both of them for a few moments before turning back towards the door as the last doctor left. There was no noise, save for the machines whirring beside his bed. Lifting his hand up, Eugeo touched his own forehead, which was cold and clammy with sweat. He could feel his heart in his chest and his uneven breathing, still aided by small tubes up his nose. Shutting his eyes and concentrating hard, he tried to remember.

_Anything..._

_Anything from before..._

_Alice..._

At the thought of her name, he gasped loudly and covered his own mouth as the urge to scream welled up in his throat. Then he heard a sound next to him.

_"Huh?"_

Kirito's shoulder moved and he turned towards Eugeo, "What..._Eugeo_? Where?...They brought you _back_?" He rubbed his eyes, confused and half awake.

"Yeah," Eugeo answered, slowly uncovering his mouth as his friend sat up and stared back at him, astonishment spreading over his face as the sleepiness fled from his eyes.

"I thought...I thought they took you away! It's been _weeks_," Kirito pushed himself into a sitting position at the edge of his bed closest to Eugeo.

Eugeo looked down at his hands, which were now shaking and didn't answer.

Kirito pulled himself up and hobbled towards his friend, sitting down next to him on the edge of the bed.

"What did they do to you? You're sitting up? You can move?" He placed his hand on Eugeo's shoulder.

"Yeah," the word came automatically from Eugeo's mouth, "I guess I can now. Honestly..." his voice trailed off and he turned to face Kirito's gray stare.

"I thought they'd never bring me back...I..." his voice faded into a soft sob.

Kirito pulled his friend's head against his own shoulder and wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm sorry, Eugeo. I told them I wouldn't leave you..."

"It wasn't your fault," Eugeo answered in a tearful voice as he pulled away slightly.

"I still don't know what these people want with me...I don't even know where I am, but, but, they, they..." he sobbed again, "they told me I had to do what they said or I wouldn't get better..."another sob, "what...what if they're watching me right now?...I"

He broke off and buried his head against Kirito again.

Kirito placed his hand softly on Eugeo's shoulder, then his head, running his hand through his friend's hair in some attempt to comfort him.

"What is this place?" Eugeo's voice was muffled, "Why am I here and why am I like this?...Where is everyone else?...Where is...

..._Alice_?"

He looked up at Kirito, desperate tears running down his face. "Where did they take her, Kirito don't you remember?"

_Alice._

Kirito turned away for a moment, then back to his friend.

"I was hoping you might know more than I do, I can't remember," he confessed, his cheeks glowing with embarrassment. "I can't remember anything from before, Eugeo."

Eugeo's eyes grew wide, tears still streaming from them.

"You mean, you can't either?" his voice was soft and frightened. His whole body was shaking.

"No, neither can Asuna, all we can remember is each other...and of course... _you_...but nothing else. I was hoping you might have been luckier, since you..." he trailed off, suddenly remembering that Eugeo probably didn't have any idea about Rath or the experiment, and that it would be unwise to upset him any further at the present.

"I can't remember either," Eugeo wiped his tear stained face with the edge of his blanket. "I mean, I don't know how I got here or even where here is. I kept asking and they told me to just repeat what they said and never answered me. But, Kirito, I...I...sometimes when I'm asleep I have this dream," Eugeo's green eyes almost glowed. "I'm in a field, and I'm running towards this tree, the shade, I hear you and Asuna...and sometimes I hear...I hear_ her_ voice too...but I can't find her...I can't find..."

"Alice?" Kirito spoke as Eugeo gasped in surprise.

"So you do remember her?" he grabbed Kirito's shoulders, his eyes wild with fear.

Kirito looked down, his face burned with embarrassment again.

"I can't remember anything else, just the name."

Eugeo pulled back and looked down at his hands. "I shouldn't have expected you would. Honestly," he looked back up and met Kirito's gaze, "I can't remember either...I just know that she's out here. Sometimes, when I'm asleep or its really quiet I can hear laughter, I think its her, but I can't remember why or when or what!" He clenched his fists in frustration and gave another small sob.

"All I know is that she's out here somewhere...we have to find her, Kirito!"

His tearful gaze met that of his friend and he grabbed Kirito's hands. "Please, I think if we can find Alice, we can figure out what all of this means. Its all I think about when they aren't forcing me to repeat their stupid phrases or move my arms until it hurts." He was shaking now, both from chill and the anxiety that had welled up in his chest.

"We'll find her, I promise, Eugeo." Kirito pulled his friend close to him. "I believe you, I think if we can find Alice, maybe we can all remember what happened before." He felt Eugeo nod his head slowly against his chest. "But, until we can get out of here, we have to be careful, you have to do what those doctors tell you to do. I don't trust them, but I think they will help you get stronger."

"Alright," Eugeo mumbled, "I promise."

"Good," Kirito said letting go of his friend, then he gave a small yawn and stretched out his arms. "Look, you should rest, I'm sure you're tired. I know I am."

"I guess," Eugeo slowly sat up and turned away from Kirito, laying his head down on his pillow. Kirito watched him for a moment and noticed Eugeo's shoulder still trembling, then he heard another small sob as his friend sat back up and put his face in his hands.

"It's useless," Eugeo muttered tearfully, "I can't sleep, I don't want to sleep!"

"Why?" Kirito asked.

"Nighttime is the worst, it's so quiet and dark." Eugeo turned towards Kirito his eyes full with panicked tears.

"I can't have that dream again...I can't..._Alice_..." his words melted away into soft crying and he buried his head in his hands again.

"It's just a dream though," Kirito reached out and touched Eugeo's head. "A dream can't hurt you, even if it is upsetting or scary."

"But she's out there," Eugeo cried, "She's out there. What if she is alone, or doesn't know where she is? What if...what if she's dying...oh, no, please no..." He seemed to be talking to himself rather than Kirito.

"Please, Eugeo, try to calm down. We're gonna find Alice, I promise. It'll be okay!" He could see the panic in Eugeo's hunched, shaking body, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.

For a few moments Eugeo continued to cry into his hands, trying to keep his sobs from rising too loudly. Kirito glanced back at Asuna, but she seemed asleep enough that she couldn't hear them. Then he turned back towards Eugeo, unable to offer any more words of comfort, and for that he felt guilty. Gradually, Eugeo's crying became more of a sniffle and he raised his tear stained face towards his friend.

"Please, don't let them take me away again," the fear in his eyes caused Kirito to hold back his own tears.

"I won't, I really won't, I _promise_..." his voice faded into the lump welling up in his throat.

For a moment Eugeo looked down, then laid back against his pillow and gazed up at the ceiling. His hands were still trembling and the faint light reflected off his tear stained face. Kirito shifted his weight as if to get up, but suddenly felt Eugeo's cold hand grab his wrist.

"Please, _please,_ don't leave me."

"I'm not going to."

"Can you stay next to me?"

"Yeah. Okay, I'll sit next to you."

Kirito swung his feet up onto the bed beside his friend, rested his arm around Eugeo's bony shoulder, and leaned his head back to look at the ceiling. For a few minutes the two of them sat in silence, then Kirito felt Eugeo's head nod against his shoulder: he had finally fallen asleep. Kirito gave a small sigh of relief and let the side of his cheek rest against his friend's head as his own eyes fluttered closed and his breathing evened out into an exhausted slumber.


	4. Chapter 4: Explanation

The next day, Eugeo seemed better.

In the morning, the nurses brought them three trays for breakfast and Asuna and Kirito were surprised to see Eugeo eating, even if the plain porridge the nurse gave him looked unappetizing. After that, more doctors and nurses came in and checked Eugeo's vitals, his reflexes, and gave him a few injections, during which the boy neither whimpered nor protested. When Asuna asked what the injections were for, the nurse closest to her answered they were routine. By the early afternoon, the doctors and nurses had finished their tests and left the three of them alone. Eugeo sat, his eyes closed, seemingly relaxed.

Suddenly though, he opened his eyes and turned to Kirito.

"Now that they're gone," he glanced over his shoulder momentarily at the door and back again. "Please, you two have to tell me what you know. I'm sick of feeling helpless...I mean...you guys do know where we are right?"

Kirito was a little surprised how calmly Eugeo spoke. His friend trusted him. Even though he wasn't sure how Eugeo would react, he gave a small sigh and turned to Asuna.

"Yeah, we know were we are. We're in the care of a company called Rath. I think this place is called the Ocean Turtle, right, Asuna?"

Asuna nodded and added, "Apparently Rath is a company that needs to conduct their studies in such privacy that they've built this whole place in the middle of the ocean."

For a moment, Eugeo stared blankly at them, then began again.

"No, I mean..._where_ are we..."

"What do you mean," Asuna asked, "This is where we are, Rath..."

Kirito held his hand up to stop her and leaned towards his friend. He knew what Eugeo was asking, not their location, but where they were, if everything around them was real. Eventually, he figured Eugeo would ask this question, but he was surprised that the boy, with almost no memories of before had figured it out this quickly.

"_Reality_, that's where we are," his eyes grew dark and serious, "Look Eugeo, I know you can't remember from before, but where we were before, well...it wasn't reality, it wasn't the real world...it was a simulation, a fake. It felt real, but," he nodded towards the STL behind Eugeo's hospital bed, "we were hooked up to that thing, you were unconscious, in a coma. I know you probably felt like before might have been reality but the truth is..." he stopped as he watched his friend's eyes widen in horror, but he had to continue, Eugeo had to know the truth. "You've been in an experiment here since you were a newborn, I guess your brain got damaged and they thought they could help you by putting you into that machine and running tests and other shit like that. But nothing before was real. I know that because I have memories of this reality that are still with me, even after being in that machine. The reason you don't know where you are, the reason you don't have any memories is because all you've done is lie there for eighteen years as Rath's test subject. They're monsters, I know, I'm sorry, I wish...I wish you didn't have to hear any of this..." he trailed off and Asuna put her arm around him.

"You mean," Eugeo started, his eyes wandering around the room, a mixture of fear and curiosity on his pale face, "You mean I have no memories of anything because I've been unconscious...for...eighteen?" he looked down at his hands.

"Eighteen years? I've been like this since I was a baby? How? Why?"

"Honestly, I don't know totally why. I do know that they were studying brainwaves and the parts of the human soul, they call them fluctlights. There were four others besides you, similar kids born with serious brain damage, they wanted to study fluctlights so they studied yours, and...well, they cloned them and rearranged them into some digital artificial intelligence program..."

"Human _souls_," Eugeo's eyes were wide and unblinking, "are you saying they took my soul?"

"No, no!" Asuna interjected, "No! You wouldn't be alive and thinking and feeling and talking if you didn't have a soul, explain it better to him Kirito." She nudged his shoulder.

"Asuna is right, Eugeo, you still have your soul, but Rath studied and cloned it so they could create new, artificial fluctlights for this program and project they were doing."

"Artificial? Like, _fake_? What's a _program_ anyway?" Eugeo looked confused.

"I know, I wish I could explain it better, but since you have no memories of this world it might be hard to understand at first...see those things next to you, the IVs...eh, wires are attached to them..." Kirito pointed.

"Yeah, I see them."

"They're called computers, they monitor stuff like your heart beat, your breathing and stuff like that. Okay, so in this world we have a lot of machines, most now run off of computers which can be programed, eh, I guess told in a way, how to execute commands and solve problems."

"So this Rath," Eugeo said slowly, "They make these computers?"

"Well yeah sort of," Kirito said, "They used them in their studies, they wanted to make artificial intelligence, so basically a copy of a human soul that could learn and think and do stuff like humans do...without flesh and bones. They wanted to put those copies into programs and other machines, computers, well we call them robots. But the whole project basically revolved around studying and creating new artificial fluctlights and souls. They called it Project Alicization, Artificial Labile Intelligent Cybernated Existence, it's a highly adaptive form of artificial intelligence, the cloned fluctlights. I guess you were one of the original test subjects, before Rath even named the project."

"Alicization..._Alice_..." Eugeo murmured, "Does it have something to do with her?"

"I think its probably a coincidence, but I honestly don't know," Kirito shook his head.

For a moment Eugeo gazed blankly at his hands, then his eyes shot up, excited.

"That's why we have to find her! _Alice_! Maybe she knows! I told you, I bet if we can find her maybe we can remember...maybe I can remember..." He stopped, breathing hard. "I_ want_ to remember," tears welled up in his eyes again, a mixture of joy and fear upon his face. "I _need_ to remember, why am I here, what purpose do I serve?"

"He's right," Asuna jumped up from beside Kirito and threw her arms around Eugeo, "Maybe it isn't a coincidence, maybe Alice has something to do with all this! I believe him!"

"I'm not saying I don't believe Eugeo, but..." Kirito stopped. Maybe he was being too skeptical. Maybe Eugeo, wiped of any memory from any reality, was actually thinking more logically than they could. Yes, it did seem odd that Rath called it Project Alicization and the only other name they could remember from before was...Alice.

"You're right, Eugeo," Kirito knelt down next the bed where Asuna was still hugging Eugeo who had begun to cry in frustration.

"We will find her. Whatever it takes, I promise. We'll get out of here and find where she is."

**Thank you thank you to everyone who has read so far! Sorry for this chapter being so short, next one with definitely be longer, it's kind of tricky splitting each chapter up because I just write in one looooong ass word document. There will be much more explaining that Rath and the doctors owe Eugeo, Kirito and Asuna, but it will flow with the rest of the story. TO THE TWO PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED THANKS OMG IT MEANS SO MUCH I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT. **

**Next chapter is in the words, it'll be longer than this one. KEEP READING! THANK YOU!**


	5. Chapter 5: Dreams

The truth of Eugeo's condition seemed to have more of a positive affect on him than Kirito and Asuna thought. As the days slowly moved along, he seemed more alert and less moody, constantly asking them questions about what had happened and where they were. Of course, all three of them would go silent when a doctor or nurse stepped into the room, but gradually, Eugeo even began to ask them questions...even if it was just the names of the medicines they were injecting him with or why they appeared at certain times of the day. It seemed as though he would continue to improve, and his positive attitude showed not only through his demeanor but the fact that he was becoming stronger and more able to move freely each day. It had now been almost two months since they had discovered the experiment that Rath had housed below the STL, and Eugeo was even able to get out of bed, not to walk, but he could at least sit in a chair and talk to Kirito and Asuna.

...

As with before, the more he was able to talk and move the more vivid his dreams became at night when he finally fell asleep. He still had not mentioned this to any of the doctors but would often try and recount his dreams to Kirito and Asuna when they woke up. Kirito had instilled a strong distrust of any of the medical staff that oversaw them, and though he had told Eugeo that he should follow their instructions in order to get better...he still didn't trust them and whatever ulterior motives they might have had with the experiments. Asuna seemed to be the most positive among them, reassuring both boys that as soon as Eugeo was able to walk on his own that they would most likely be freed.

...

Night fell on the first day of the third month they had spent on the Ocean Turtle since the discovery of Eugeo. The day had been warm and the nurse had even allowed the small windows in the room to be opened so the soft sea breeze could filter through the room. Eugeo was perplexed at first by the sweet, salty smell of the ocean, but the breeze against his thin, chilled skin felt warm and inviting. After dinner the three of them had sat chatting for a while about the theories they had as to when and where they would be released, but Eugeo gradually grew weary, as he typically did and drifted off to sleep as Kirito and Asuna let him rest. It wasn't long after that they too, fell asleep and the entire room fell, engulfed with silence, save for the gentle, cool breeze drifting in through the small windows.

...

Opening his eyes, Eugeo was met with the warm glow of sunshine on his face and the breeze against his forehead. For a moment he lie still, then slowly looked around. He became aware of the soft grass beneath him and the blue sky above, partially obstructed by the lofty branches of a tall, dark tree, its leaves glossy in the sunlight, above him. Slowly, Eugeo sat up, in the distance he could see across a bright field where the sky met the earth, blue and green, reflected in his like-colored eyes. Gently raising his hand against his forehead he brushed his bangs out of his eyes and gazed around at his surroundings. It was clearly summer time and the soft wind blowing against him was warm with the cheerful sunshine.

_Where am I? _

_Another dream?_

_A memory?_

Eugeo shook his head and steadied himself. Then he shakily rose to his feet and took a few steps forward.

_Wherever I am, I can walk perfectly fine._

Glancing around again, he took a small breath in and opened his mouth.

"Hey! Is anyone else out there?"

His answer was the gentle breeze, playing with his blond hair. Eugeo decided, since he was able to walk, that he should examine his surroundings. Stepping back and turning towards the tree he looked up through the branches and glossy leaves, seeing flashes of blue sky between them. As he carefully moved around the tree he took note of the gnarled, dark bark, and on the side opposite of him, a long straight gash running across the bottom portion of the tree, near where the roots sunk into the ground. Leaning closer, Eugeo brushed his hand across the gash, it wasn't very deep, but the wood beneath the bark was almost black, and smooth. Something about this tree and its shade seemed familiar, but Eugeo couldn't bring any word to mind to describe it. After a few minutes of pondering, he turned away from the bright, sunny, but empty field and walked slowly towards the forest behind him, where more trees, similar to the one he had just touched, grew tall and closer together. Why he was drawn towards the shade and quiet instead of the warmth and sunlight, he didn't know...but there was something almost alluring about the shadows and quiet of the forest.

He walked in silence for a while, hearing neither the song of birds or the rush of the breeze as it faded away among the dense foliage. His steps were soft on the forest floor and it seemed that no animals were nearby either. After a while more in the silence, Eugeo stopped and glanced around. The shadows had grown longer and darker and everything here seemed silent and still, as if the whole forest was holding its breath.

Then suddenly.

A faint sound.

A murmur.

_No._

_Faint laughter._

Eugeo spun around in the direction as the sound suddenly became more and more clear. It was laughter, like that of a small child. But the way it rang through the forest was almost unnatural. From underneath him, Eugeo felt his feet and legs push him forward as he ran towards the source of the sound.

_Why does this seem so familiar._

As he ran deeper into the forest the high soft sound became more musical and clear. It was laughter, that of a small child, probably a girl. His feet hastened quicker and his breathing turned to pants as he ran faster and faster towards the sound. The trees grew so densely here that any deviation from his path would have thrown him into the side of one of the looming trunks, but strangely his feet kept his path straight and true. After another few moments he found himself in a small clearing, where the trees cleared and bent around a small spring, surrounded by pale white stones.

Eugeo stopped, panting hard and looked around. The laughter seemed to have disappeared...but why...why had it brought him here. Then he saw it, a flash of flaxen gold and a shimmer of blue in the shadows.

"HEY! WHO'S THERE!" he called, his voice hoarse with the exertion of his run.

For a moment, the forest was silent. Then.

_Laughter_.

It grew louder as Eugeo moved slowly towards the spring.

As he reached the edge he peered around and saw it again.

_A flash of blonde._

From the other side of the spring, a small girl emerged, clothed in a plain blue dress and white frock. Her hair was spun gold and her cheeks were rosy with laughter. From beneath her blonde bangs, two bright blue eyes flashed mischievously as her laughter rose and fell in sharp, melodic crescendos. Eugeo stared in disbelief. This girl was more than just familiar. He had known her before.

"Alice," her name left his lips in a soft surprised whisper.

The girl stopped laughing and caught his gaze.

"You're terrible at this game you know," she smirked.

"Huh? What game?"

"Hide and seek, you dummy! I can't believe it took you this long to find me..._Eugeo!_"

Glancing down, his heart pounding in his chest, Eugeo muttered, "I'm sorry, I guess you're right. I'm terrible at hide and seek."

"Of course, you know you can't ever beat me!" the girl's melodic laugh returned. Then she brushed her hair from her eyes and walked towards him, looking suddenly concerned.

"You look pale, Eugeo, maybe you ran too long!" She reached out towards him, almost touching his hand, and then turning away.

"Look, a spring," her attention turned towards the bubbling crystal water that gushed up from among the pale stones.

"Maybe you should have something to drink?" She knelt down by the spring and beckoned to him.

"Yeah, maybe," Eugeo's head had begun to feel dizzy. Staggering to the edge of the spring he slumped down beside Alice and reached towards the water.

"I do feel kind of thirsty," he murmured as his hand grazed the crisp, cool water.

His gaze lingered on Alice for a moment. Her face seemed suddenly hazy, though he had just seen her clearly as she emerged from behind the spring.

Maybe he was dehydrated?

Turning his attention towards the water his gaze met his own reflection. It wavered in the motion of the water curling around his hand and gradually eased into a glimmering mirror...though his reflection still seemed blurry.

_What is wrong with me?_

"Aren't you going to drink?" Alice's soft voice piped up beside him

"Yeah," Eugeo bent down and scooped some of the water up into his hands and drank it.

Suddenly, his reflection returned, clear and staring back at him.

He was a child. No older than ten or so years old, his eyes wide and sparkling. For a moment he stared, unable to make a sound, when a second reflection appeared next to him. A rosy cheeked blonde girl with large blue eyes. She was smiling.

_Alice._

Whipping his head up and towards where she was sitting Eugeo saw her for a split second, gazing down at the water next to him. He reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Alice...ALICE!"

But suddenly she began to fade back into the shadows.

"ALICE NO! Come back! Don't leave yet, Alice! ALICE!"

...

Eugeo awoke with a scream.

He was sitting in bed in a small, cozy room lit by the faint glow of the early morning sun. Looking around wildly, he couldn't find Kirito or Asuna, nor the wires connected to his arms or tubes in his nose. He was dressed in a plain linen shirt and pants and the window of his room overlooked a large field.

_I'm dreaming again?_

Slowly he laid back down against the soft pillow and shut his eyes against the scene before him.

_Am I dreaming?_

The scene faded into darkness. For a few moments it was silent but then he heard voices from somewhere in front of him.

"Alice?" he whispered.

This time he was lying on the cold hard ground. He tried to lift his head up but a sharp pain jolted through his body.

_Ugh, what the hell?_

All around him the murmur grew louder, voices, then shouts, a clash of swords, screams, and armor breaking under the weight of metal.

Using all the strength he could muster, Eugeo grit his teeth and forced his head up. Everything around him was dim and clouded under a reddish light, but he could gradually make out figures clashing against each other with swords drawn. Among the fray he saw it, first he thought his eyes were deceiving him as the pain caused him to let out a soft shriek, then he saw more clearly, a flash, golden armor, silky blonde hair.

"ALICE!" his voice cracked and he struggled to drag himself forward. Glancing down he saw a sword lying in front on him in a pool of deep red blood. The metal glistened like ice, blue reflected in his eyes. Eugeo pushed himself forward, crying out in pain until he laid his hand upon the crystal sword. The flash of gold and blonde weaved in and out of his gaze as he desperately tried to grip his sword and rise to his feet. He couldn't lie here on the ground, not while she was locked in battle. Letting out another loud gasp of pain, adrenaline coursing through his veins, he lifted the sparkling blue sword and heaved himself to his knees, leaning against the crystal blade for support.

"ALICE!" he cried out again, "ALICE!". Every inch of his body heaved with pain but he staggered first to his left and then right foot, swaying against the pain. Taking a few steps toward where Alice had appeared and disappeared among the battle, he let out a loud yell and wielded his sword into the air has he charged forward. The blue blade fell to the ground with a clanging thud and Eugeo seemed glued to the spot, the pain spreading throughout his body, immobilizing him completely. Screaming in protest he clutched his hand against his chest calling out her name once more,

"ALICE! ALICE! RUN SAVE YOURSELF!"

A soft wet feeling met his hand as he clutched his chest tighter. Shaking, he forced his gaze down and was met with a horrific sight. His silver blue armor was cracked across the chest and covered in deep red blood flowing down and dripping off the end of his breastplate and onto the ground where it had formed a pool around him. Pulling his hand away, covered in hot red blood, he gazed down on the open wound and caught a glimpse of how deep the gash was, he could see a small flash of his insides. Another scream boiled up in his throat as he fell back to his knees reaching out towards the golden knight fighting so far from him. Darkness began to close around as the last of his blood drained from his side to the ground and he gave one last hoarse cry.

"ALICE!"

Suddenly, the darkness stopped before it touched the golden armor of Alice. She seemed to have frozen, her gleaming sword raised above her head. With a thundering clang she brought the blade down and it met the ground with a shudder. Then for the first time, he could clearly see her, slim but strong, her entire stance brave and almost brash with fearlessness.

"Alice!" Eugeo's voice became faint with death as he felt his entire body go limp. The golden knight stood still for a moment, and he thought he would die without ever seeing her face...

then...a bright light as Alice turned and her clear blue eyes met his. Eugeo swayed backwards, his hand outstretched towards her as his breaths became shorter and more labored.

"Alice," his last cry was hardly more than a whispering gasp. But somehow, the golden knight must have heard him, for she suddenly was looming closer and closer to him. Eugeo fell backwards, hitting the ground limp and nearly lifeless. He could again hear the clash and the roar of battle around him, but it was useless, he was going to die here. Closing his eyes, he fought to keep the image of the beautiful knight in gold in his mind as his heart thudded slowly in his chest.

And then.

Everything stopped.

_This is it?_

"Eugeo, _Eugeo!_"

Now he could hear it. A soft, melodious, but rather stern voice.

He knew this voice.

_Alice_.

"Eugeo! Dear god you're badly injured! Come back to me, _Eugeo!_" Her words were so close, almost in his ear. Then he felt arms around him, lifting his head up from the ground.

"Open your eyes please Eugeo!"

"Alice," her name hissed out of his barely parted lips.

"You're not going to die! I'll heal you! Just stay with me!" As his eyes slowly opened Eugeo saw her. Alice's pretty face was pale with worry and her eyes were streaming with tears. She was clutching him against her chest and shaking him slightly, anything to get him to open his eyes.

"Alice," he whispered again.

"Shh, don't talk, I'm going to get you out of here. I'm going to heal you..." her blue eyes were so beautiful.

"Alice."

"You're not going to die!" Her entire body was trembling, "I'm going to save you, Eugeo, please," Alice pressed her forehead against his and began muttering under her breath, "_System call. Transfer human unit durability, self to left. System call. Generate Luminous Element. Recover Partial Damage_." Her voice wavered with tears but she repeated again, "_System call_..."

Eugeo gazed up at her, the pain throughout his body had turned into a dull numbness that he could only imagine was his impending death. Even with her own life flowing into his, the severe loss of blood had left him weak, and even a highly skilled sacred arts healer could only do so much. Lifting his hand, he touched her cheek gently. "Alice, Alice, you've done all you can. Its okay, I'm just happy...I'm just happy you're here..." his hand fell limp as he let out a painful sigh.

"You're not going to die!" Alice pulled him closer to him her voice choking with sobs, "I won't let you die...you _can't _die..." She broke off with a sob as she pressed her head against his cheek, her face was wet with tears.

"I love you," she whispered, "Please, don't leave me alone..._Eugeo_."

A faint smile crossed Eugeo's face, a sudden rush of dying adrenaline or perhaps Alice's sacred arts were working after all.

"I love you, _Alice_," with newfound strength he lifted his hand up and cradled her face. "I've always loved you...and I always will..."

Alice couldn't answer through her sobs and her face had become hazy.

Eugeo felt his heart suddenly pounding in his chest, Alice couldn't fade away...not now.

The darkness and the sounds of battle began to close in around him and he struggled to reach out to Alice again. He could still hear hear her soft tears as her face faded away.

"Alice!"

He felt as though he was falling, the light fading away and the horrible roar and clash of the violence around him. He rose his voice as he reached up desperately towards the light.

"ALICE! ALICE! DON'T GO! ALICE!"

The pain was now so overwhelming all he could do was writhe about as the light finally faded completely away and the noise became so loud that it deafened him.

"ALICE!"

**NOTES:**

**Whooo, longer chapter finally! **

**ALICE IS BAAACK! Thank you all for reading, I've just started the next chapter so I will probably work on a couple chapters at a time and post when they're done. Of course Eugeo's first real memory that comes back would be his love for Alice since it's probably the strongest feeling he knows. Blah, blah, blah love conquers all.**


	6. Chapter 6: Memory

Eugeo woke up screaming.

The beads of sweat on his fevered brow were mixed with tears and his entire body was clammy, shaking, and drenched in sweat. The entire room around him was out of focus and his head was spinning with panic while his pale, thin hands hands were clutching his sheets so tightly that he had lost all feeling in his fingers. It took a great effort for him to steady himself when he felt a sudden feeling of someone next to him, a strong, yet gentle grab of his shoulder that brought the terrified Eugeo back to reality.

_Kirito_.

"Eugeo, Eugeo, calm down, it was a dream, a nightmare!" he was shaking Eugeo's shoulder and his voice sounded so far away. Eugeo turned to him his eyes wide as Kirito's face finally came into focus. The black haired boy looked gravely concerned.

A girl's voice echoed from his other side. "We thought you were having a seizure or something," Asuna was also sitting next to him holding his other shoulder. He turned and looked at her as well, there were frightened tears running down her pretty face.

Glancing away from her Eugeo gasped, breathing hard as a wave of pain and nausea overcame him and he gagged a bit. Asuna jumped up from beside him and and returned, pushing the trash can from beside the bed against his chest as Eugeo gave another wretch and vomited violently. The tears stung his eyes and he gave a few more heaves while Asuna had gotten up again and wet a cloth in the sink by the door. Sitting back down beside him she gently wiped his face with it.

"Oh, Eugeo, poor thing," she ran her hand softly through his hair, "What a horrible nightmare you must have been having. You were talking and crying in your sleep, we kept trying to wake you up, it was like you were possessed or something..." her voice faded off.

Breathing hard, Eugeo met her gaze, his eyes wide with terror.

"It...it wasn't just a dream" he paused and gulped "...it felt too real...I think...I think it was something that happened to me..._before_." For a moment he looked as though he was going to continue speaking but he stopped short, leaning forward again to wretch his guts up.

Kirito looked at Asuna, his face serious. "He might be right, I mean," turning back towards Eugeo he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and patted him softly, "The way he was shaking and talking in his sleep... it's like you were hallucinating or something..."

"It felt so real," Eugeo repeated again, his voice fading into weeping as he buried his head in his hands. Asuna continued to stroke his hair attempting to comfort him, but Kirito had instead stood up and walked to the door, opening it and peering out into the hallway.

"Something's not right," he turned back to look at Asuna who had pulled Eugeo against her shoulde. "Doesn't it seem weird...no doctors or nurses...wouldn't they have come running when Eugeo's heart rated spiked like that?"

"I guess?" Asuna looked down at Eugeo's arm, he still had a few IVs and sensors attached to it. "But, maybe they don't have to..." her eyes darted up to the ceiling, "What if they're..._watching_ us?" She pulled Eugeo closer to her.

"Of course they've been watching us, Asuna," Kirito closed the door quietly and came and sat down with them again. "The thing that's weird is that they didn't come running with sedatives and shit like they've done before...why let him go through a night terror like that?"

"Because they're cruel," Asuna said, "I thought this before, but then I figured that maybe, just maybe..." she broke off, "Maybe Rath doesn't really want him to get better...but how..."

"Who knows, but we have to find out," Kirito's eyes glowed. Beside him, Eugeo had gone silent and was staring ahead with a blank look on his face.

"Eugeo?" Asuna shook him slightly. "Are you okay?"

"It..._wasn't_ _a dream_," the words left Eugeo's month in a strange monotone voice and he pulled himself away from her, sitting up and staring ahead as if he was suddenly seeing something.

"What do you mean?" Asuna asked, backing away.

"It...it was from before," Eugeo broke his gaze and turned turned to met her eyes, "I think, I think it was a _memory_..." He shivered slightly. "It felt so real, I know it happened before, but why?"

"I don't doubt it," Kirito spoke up. "I also think that Rath wanted this to happen, remember what they said? They wanted to see how the test subjects who had no memories outside the STL would fair when and if they woke up from their comas. I bet they've been weaning you off all those strong medications to see if your memories returned. Of course, the strongest memories aren't always the kindest." He looked at Eugeo and his gaze softened a bit.

"What did you remember, Eugeo?"

Asuna glared at Kirito, "You're going to make him go through that again just so he can tell us what the memory was?"

"Its fine," Eugeo appeared almost defeated. "At first it wasn't frightening at all...I was a kid actually. I don't know where but it was a forest, everything was warm, and I kept walking and I finally found this spring, it was beautiful and then I saw...I saw..._her_... I saw _Alice_..." he stopped and crossed his arms against his chest as if he had suddenly been overcome by a chill. "But, she disappeared, and well, I ended up in another place, it was a battle of some sort, I don't know why it was happening but, but," he pulled his arms closer and started trembling, "I...I...couldn't save her, I was..._dying_... she tried to heal me...but...but..." he broke off, the pupils of his green eyes dilated in fear.

"Oh Eugeo!" Asuna exclaimed.

"No," Eugeo shook his head slowly, "There was something else. Before I woke up, we spoke, while she was trying to save me...her voice was so clear, I can hear it now... she said..." he paused and closed his eyes, thinking hard. "But...I can't remember now! I can't remember what she said! It felt so real, so why can't I remember now?"

"A battle?" Kirito murmured, "Was Alice the only one you saw? Were there others?"

"Kirito he said he couldn't remember!" Asuna piped up.

Eugeo hung his head, miserable, "It was so loud, so much yelling, screams, metal crashing against metal...like...a... sword fight?" He paused, "Why would I remember it was a sword fight? Does that make any sense to you Kirito?"

"Swords?" Kirito leaned closer, "People fighting with them? So where you were before, people fought with swords? Could the STL have placed us into a world similar to Aincrad?" He addressed this more to Asuna than to Eugeo, whose eyes widened at the mention of the location of Sword Art Online.

"Yeah..." he answered slowly, " it was swords, but I don't know why I remember or even know that" Eugeo's eyes looked dim. "All I know is that I had one, it was like blue and silver crystal, but I couldn't wield it, I was too weak. I think Alice had a sword too, golden and strong. She fought like a warrior but, what happened to her after?" He pressed his head into his hands for a moment a feeling of frustration and rage boiled up into his chest. "What the hell why can't I remember! Why am I like this! WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER." His voice raised in a growl as he pulled himself forward and away from Kirito and Asuna. "I'm not letting this fade away like before, I won't, I WON'T!" His whole body was shaking as his head began swimming again.

"Eugeo! Please! Be careful, try and calm down." Asuna tried to touch him but Eugeo pushed her away weakly. Kirito stood up, "Asuna, let him be," he said seriously, stepping back. Asuna backed away from Eugeo and grabbed Kirito's shoulder. "But Kirito, he's still weak, maybe we should get one of the doctors?"

"No," Eugeo breathed. His body had gone cold again and the room around him seemed to melt away as he tried desperately to crawl forward. Kirito and Asuna's faces became hazy and all the sounds around him grew to a roar.

...

"Huh?"

The light returned and everything around him had fallen silent.

Eugeo sat up and looked around. He was in the same field he had been in before, the warm sunlight and gentle breeze felt soothing against his face.

_"I'm back here again?"_

"EUGEO!"

"Huh?" Eugeo spun around.

_Alice!_

This time he could clearly see her, standing a little way away from him, waving and smiling.

"Come over here!"

Eugeo took a step forward. Feeling the ground firmly under his feet he started to run until he stood right before Alice who was still smiling. She was older this time, a pretty young woman in a white dress and golden armor, her hair swirling around her shoulders in the breeze. Stopping about a foot from her, Eugeo reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Alice..." he whispered. "Where are we?"

"Eugeo what's gotten into you?" She shook her head and laughed. "I've been looking for you everywhere! Selka said you had gone out to the fields for a walk, but it's unlike you to wander off by yourself. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Huh? Selka?" Eugeo shook his head, "Your..._sister_?"

"Um, yes," Alice laughed, "What's gotten into you today?"

"Nothing," Eugeo looked down at his hands.

When he glanced up again, the scene around him had changed. A few knights stood to his right, Alice among them, talking in low whispers. The air around him was heavy with the heat of the setting sun and its reddish light cast an ominous glow over everything. The knights seemed to have finished their discussion and had parted ways. Eugeo watched as the single knight in gold, Alice, walked towards him.

"Well?" he asked before he could think of anything else to say to her. She looked so serious and almost sad.

"It's set," she wouldn't meet his eyes, "There aren't many of us left, but the rest have agreed we have to fight. We can't let them win." She broke off, giving a soft sob. "I can't believe it's come down to this. The fate of Centoria, the fate of everything rests with us now." She threw her arms around him suddenly, pressing her face against his shoulder.

For a moment, Eugeo stood still, unsure what to do. He could feel Alice's soft hair blowing against his cheek and her arms tightened around him as if she didn't want to let go.

"It'll be okay, Alice," he wrapped his arms around her. "I promise, no matter what, I'll protect you."

"You're right," Alice pulled away, her cheeks tinted pink with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I've lost control of my wits for a moment." She smiled faintly as she looked up at him.

"Whatever happens, I promise I'll protect _you_ as well," she placed her hands on his face and kissed his forehead gently as her pretty face faded away again.

...

Rain.

It felt cold against his chilled skin.

Eugeo looked down at his hands, covered with silver gauntlets. Beside him, the blue crystal sword leaned against the rock he was sitting on. As he let his gaze drift up, he was met with the sight of the cozy house across from him. The windows glowed with a dim light and he could see the silhouettes of people inside walking to and fro. Standing up, he picked up his crystal sword, put it in the sheath at his side and crossed though the mud to the door of the house. Lifting his hand to knock on the door he paused and instead turned the handle and stepped into the warm light. The house was spacious and clean, decorated like that of a lower, but comfortable noble family. Taking a few steps forward, Eugeo looked from the main room, where a cheery fire was burning in the fireplace, to the study opposite it, quiet and full of books. Walking forward he found himself looking into the dinning room where a family was seated around the table, laughing and eating. The mother and father sat at either side of the table, smiling at their two daughters who were seated between them. The smaller girl had sandy blonde hair and soft kind eyes, while her older sister was blonde, pale and had a mischievous blue stare.

_Alice._

Taking another step forward, the scene grew hazy as he reached out towards them and Eugeo suddenly found himself standing in a courtyard facing Alice, though this time she was clad as the golden knight again. Moving towards he called her name softly.

"Hey Alice!"

She didn't answer but glanced up towards the branches of the tree above her. It was a lovely tree with arching branches full of glossy green leaves and fragrant white blossoms. Reaching up she picked a single blossom from the branch closest to her and pressed it against her nose. Then she turned towards him and smiled as she stood up slowly and walked towards him. For a moment he tried to reach out to her but he felt as though he couldn't move from where he was standing. Alice now stood closer to him, still holding the blossom in her hand. Reaching out she brushed his hair back and placed the blossom behind his ear as her long lashes batted against her eyes. Eugeo smiled back at her, suddenly at a loss for words. Alice pressed her forehead against his.

"Alice?"

"Shh," she touched her finger to his lips. A shiver went down Eugeo's spine as Alice leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips and pulled away, giggling.

"Huh?" A warm blush flushed through Eugeo's face and he tried to step backwards.

Alice continued smiling back at him, but didn't answer.

_Alice._

He couldn't look away from her, her eyes were wide and so blue.

_Alice._

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

_Alice_.

What was it she was thinking?

_Alice_.

He leaned closer and pressed his forehead against hers.

_Alice_.

Her cheeks flushed slightly and her smile turned to a smirk as she pulled him forward and kissed him, this time lingering longer, her soft lips against his and the heat of her blush against his face. Her arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders as she let herself fall against him.

_Alice_.

_Zuberg_.

_Her name?_

"Alice?" as she finally pulled away, he managed to whisper.

"Yes?" her voice was more of a soft giggle and she brushed her hand against his flushed cheek.

"Alice..._Zuberg_..." her name floated off his lips.

She continued smiling at him as if she hadn't heard.

Once again, his vision grew hazy and he felt her loosen her grip on him.

"Alice, wait no!" he called out as the smiling girl faded away and the warmth of her body against his grew cold. He grasped out as a strange fog clouded his vision and her lovely face melted away.

"ALICE!"

...

"AHHH!"

Eugeo opened his eyes mid scream his arms out in front of him as if he was reaching for something invisible. His breath returned in sudden, harsh gasps as the room dim hospital room returned into focus.

Asuna and Kirito were both looking down at him both their faces were shocked.

"Wha?" Eugeo dropped his hands.

"Okay you were definitely hallucinating," Kirito to a step towards him, leaned forward and brushed Eugeo's hair out of his eyes. Their eyes met, serious gray and panicked green. For a moment Eugeo stared back at his friend then lurched forward and grabbed the collar of Kirito's shirt pulling the dark haired boy close to him, whispering desperately.

"Alice..._Alice Zuberg_.

I remember,

I remember now.

Her name!

It's Alice Zuberg."

Taking another jagged breath and overcome by the pounding in his head and chest, he fell back in a dead faint.

...

**Notes: SORRY SORRY for such a long interval between chapters. I've been in the process of moving and haven't felt super motivated until recently. Remember, since coming out of his coma, the doctors have had him on strong medications, hence why his reactions sometimes seem dulled and sometimes seem over the top to things. Also, YES, Eugeo's dreams are really borderline hallucinations because his brain isn't sure how to process an entire lifetime of memories now that he's actually awake. You know how when you wake up from a dream and it feels like deja vu or something, think that like 100x Honestly, he might have some sort of post traumatic stress disorder, but I'm just going to write and see how it pans out. OMG HE REMEMBERED ALICE'S NAME!? THANK YOU FOR READING! :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Rath

"Kirito, I'm going to get the doctors, we can't just leave him like this, we need to know what's going on." Asuna turned and dashed out the door. Kirito knew it was no use arguing with her, Asuna was stubborn, and she was probably right. If Eugeo's memories were somehow coming back, they would need explanations from the doctors. Even Kirito knew he couldn't answer all of Eugeo's questions about the Underworld if he himself couldn't even remember. Leaning back against the wall he looked up at the monitors beside Eugeo, watching his friend's heartbeat and breathing rise in fall in regular motion for a moment.

_Alice Zuberg_.

The name brought nothing to mind, but there was no doubt that Eugeo had remembered it on his own: a boy with no memories of this world, recalling lost memories from under the influence of the STL. _The Underworld_.

Kirito closed his eyes and focused hard. There had to be some memory. Eugeo had mentioned a golden knight. Alice.

_The Golden Knight_.

_What did that mean?_

He clenched his fists, forcing his mind to remember something, even just a fragment.

_Alice. _

_Golden Knight? _

_Alice Zuberg._

Then.

A flash of blonde, a pale face, a serious blue gaze.

"Alice," Kirito gasped, opening his eyes.

Beside him, Eugeo had begun to stir. He scrunched his nose and tossed his head to the side before opening his eyes slowly.

"Kirito, what? What happened?" His voice was groggy and confused.  
Kneeling down next to his friend's bed, Kirito met Eugeo's green gaze.

"I remember Eugeo, Alice! I remember her! _Alice Zuberg_. You weren't dreaming! It was a memory, a hallucination, but still a memory."

Eugeo lifted his head slightly, "Really? You remember too? Really?"

"Yes. The Golden Knight with blonde hair. We fought side by side. I don't remember when or what but I do remember _her._"

"Oh Kirito!" leaning forward Eugeo choked back a few tears before forcing himself to sit upright. "I knew it. I knew if we could remember her..."

"...Alice Zuberg."

His eyes welled up with tears.

...

When the doctors entered the room they found Kirito sitting next to a tearful Eugeo. Asuna rushed to their side and glared back up at the doctors, who looked rather taken aback at how upset the boy was.

"Alright, we want answers!" she demanded, her hands on her hips in defiance. "What the hell are you doing, letting Eugeo suffer like this."

"Night terrors are common," one of the nurses remarked, checking the monitor next to Eugeo and pressing a few buttons.

The head doctor had bent over Eugeo, shining a light into the boy's watery eyes. "Perhaps it was more than just a dream, although I don't see anything else wrong with the boy. Heart rates often spike during a lucid nightmare or panic attack."

Eugeo pulled away, shaking the doctor off him. "No, it was a memory, I want to know why!" His voice breathed a hint of anger.

"Why what?" the lead doctor looked perplexed. "It's not uncommon for a comatose patient to experience terrors after regaining consciousness."

"No," this time Eugeo's voice was firmer, "It wasn't a dream. I know it wasn't. I remember where I was before. Where _you_ put me! I want to know why! I want to know where, where she is...where is Alice!"

Sighing, the doctor shook his head. "It's unlikely you would remember anything from before, especially not this soon and not in this fashion." He turned to one of the other nurses who was examining the charts and comparing them to the monitor beside Eugeo's bed. Eugeo clenched his fists and glared at the doctor as he turned away to speak with the nurse beside the monitor.

"NO!" he raised his voice to a hoarse cry, "NO! You'll tell me! You'll tell me where she is! Where is Alice?"

"There is no Alice, boy," the doctor shook his head again, not even turning to look at Eugeo.

Kirito stood up, anger boiling up inside him. "Look, you've kept him like this for so long, doesn't he deserve an explanation? Don't we deserve an explanation? I thought when I went into this study that it was for good, but you don't seem good at all!"

"Calm down," the doctor turned back towards them as he handed the charts to the nurse beside him. "As your friend here is weaned of these strong medications it's not uncommon for hallucinations to appear with other withdrawal symptoms."

"It was real!" Eugeo had now raised his voice to a shout and lunged at the doctor. Kirito placed his hands on his shoulder and held him back but Eugeo struggled to free himself.

"Tell me what you know!"

"Know? Boy, there is nothing to know!"  
"Where is she?! Where is Alice?! Tell me! I know you know her and where she is! Where is Alice Zuberg!" Eugeo's voice cracked and he fell silent, breathing hard and fast, his body suddenly cold from panic.

"_Zuberg_? How would you know _that name_?" The doctor stepped back and paused, a slow change of emotion crossed his face.

"It's not possible."

"IT is," Kirito interjected as Eugeo still struggled to regain some composure, "How else would he know her name? Asuna and I didn't tell him! Look, his memories are coming back and like it or not you owe him an explanation!"

"Where is she," Eugeo's voice wavered again as he gazed down at his shaking hands, "Where is Alice, Alice Zuberg. I know that you know where she is..." his eyes darted up, piercing green against the shocked look now upon the doctor's face. Turning away from the thin, pale boy he hurriedly whispered something to the nurse next to him, who nodded shortly and left the room with one of the other doctors.

"There's no possible explanation for this," the doctor murmured more to himself than to the three sitting in front of him. "How could you know?" His voice drifted off as the nurse and doctor returned with a wheelchair and a pile of what looked like blankets.

"What's going on!" Asuna stood defensively as two of the nurses approached Eugeo. "Why won't you tell us what's going on?" The nurse closest to her nudged her aside and spoke, "Look miss Yuuki, we have orders from above to bring this boy..."

"Quiet," the doctor spoke up again as the nurse closest to Kirito unfolded the fabric revealing a soft bathrobe and a blanket. She took the trembling Eugeo's arms and helped them through the sleeves while the other nurse carefully wrapped the robe around him as they helped him into the wheelchair.

"Where are you taking him!" Kirito lunged forward, but the doctor stepped between him and Eugeo.

"Orders from _above_, Kazuto," he spoke seriously. Eugeo was now wrapped in the robe and sitting in the wheelchair, shaking, as the second nurse draped the blanket over his legs.

"If it's from above, we're going with you...you're not going to take Eugeo away from us again!" Kirito stepped forward and grabbed his friend's arm. Eugeo was visibly shaking and his face had gone white with panic.

"All three of you have been ordered to come with us," the doctor replied, taking the charts handed to him by his associate doctor. "I don't know how this boy learned the information he knows, but _they_ want to interrogate him about it."

"Who are _they_?" Eugeo's voice piped up, high pitched and frightened.

"The founders of Rath. I'm sure your friends Kazuto and Asuna are quite familiar with them." The doctor turned and opened the door. The nurse pushed the wheelchair with Eugeo behind him as Kirito and Asuna pushed the other nurses aside and stood next to Eugeo, who had grabbed Kirito's hand. The boy's frightened voice echoed in Kirito's mind "_Please, don't let them take me away again!" _and he fought back his own frustrated tears as they made their way out into the dim hallway. They walked in silence past doors until the seemingly endless hallway ended against a large elevator. The lead doctor punched in a few numbers before they all stepped inside and the elevator door closed in front of them. Eugeo was now gripping Kirito's hand so tightly that the black haired boy had lost most of the feeling in his fingers to the trembling of Eugeo's slim, weak frame. The elevator moved up slowly and finally opened. The group faced a brighter hallway with silver windowless walls that reflected the patterns of light back and forth against each other. As they stepped out into the hall the doctor lead them forward up a sloping floor until they reached another plain door with a keypad next to it. Knocking once, the doctor typed another code into the keypad and the door opened. Stepping aside he motioned for the nurse to push Eugeo in front. The boy lost his grip on Kirito's hand and giving a small, terrified gasp found himself in a room unlike anything he had yet seen.

The walls were covered with large screens showing scenes from a meadow, a forest, and some sort of walled city from a distance. Kirito and Asuna stepped in behind him, remembering this room well...Rath's mission control center. The few people working at control panels and desks in front of the screens turned, surprised to see anyone entering from the far door as the rest of the doctors and nurses filed into the room and closed the small door behind them. Most of the people sitting in front of the screens had now stood up, looking curiously and whispering among themselves as the nurses pushed Eugeo's wheelchair into the center of the room. One voice rose up from the others, a man's voice, rather cold and calculating.

"Well, well, well, I didn't think you would be joining us this soon. Welcome, Test Subject Five, although I've been told you go by another name? _Eugeo_? Is it?"

From among the group a tall, dark haired man stepped forward, a serious but rather amused look upon his clean-shaven face. He wore a crisp, white collared shirt and and dark tie around his neck. His hands rested lazily in his pockets as he stepped forward gazing down at the pale Eugeo.

"My name is Kikuoka Seijiro," he gave a slight bow of his head. "I'm the director of Rath, of this ship, and of Project Alicization. I can't tell you how much of a pleasure it is to finally meet you, one of our original test subjects. My, you have come quite far haven't you?" He leaned forward a little, his eyes unblinking and still rather amused.

"And look, we have Kazuto and Miss Yuuki here too. How _wonderful!_"

Kirito stepped forward next to Eugeo and then again towards Kikuoka. The middle aged man seemed less kindly than he had remembered him, in fact, he looked almost smug to see the three of them standing before him.

However, it was Eugeo who spoke up first.

"Why...why am I here?" his voice was hardly above a murmur, but was addressed directly towards Kikuoka who then nodded, a smirk spreading across his face.

"Why are you here? You tell me? Apparently, you are aware of some information that my doctors think you shouldn't know? I'm also curious though, _why_?"

"Why what?" Kirito stepped in front of Eugeo. "You're the ones who've been keeping him here his entire life?"

"Oh, Kazuto," Kikuoka shook his head, "Stubborn and headstrong as always. Remember how much convincing it took for you to even come on board with this project?" His white teeth glittered from between his smirking lips.

"I remember when your project was focused on helping people, not this..." Kirito hissed, taking a defensive stance in front of Eugeo. "It's pretty fucked up what you've done to him, you know?"

Kikuoka gave a sighing laugh and shook his head again. Then he turned and waved the rest of his team out of the room, then the doctors. "You can leave us now, I'd like to speak to these three on my own." Kirito cautiously stepped beside Eugeo as Asuna moved next to him as well while the rest of the people filed silently out of the room.

"Now," from beside him, Kikuoka pulled out a chair and sat down with his chin resting in his hands across from Eugeo. "Since we can now speak openly," he leaned forward his eyes narrowing, "I'd like for you to tell me what you said to get my team all rattled up like this?"

For a few moments, Eugeo stared back at him, unable to speak, his breaths had become short and panicked. Kikuoka's eyes narrowed further and he shifted his head so the boy could see the scowl grow across his face.

"Well?"

"Can't you see he's scared!" Asuna spoke up suddenly. "Maybe it's you who need to offer him an explanation?"

Kikuoka's head snapped in her direction. "If I were you, Miss Yuuki, I would keep your mouth shut." Then he turned back towards Eugeo. "I know what my doctor's told me, I just want to see if this boy really does know what they say he knows." Reaching his hand out he tilted Eugeo's chin up towards him. "Well, boy?"

Eugeo made a small squeak and tried to pull his head away, but Kikuoka, standing up, put his whole hand under the boy's chin and forced him to meet his gaze.

"What do you know?"

Kirito made a motion forward but Kikuoka's other hand blocked him. "Kazuto, I would stay in your place..." then he turned towards Asuna, "as should you, Miss Yuuki, there's nothing to get testy about, I just want to ask Eugeo here a simple question...what...do... you..._know_?"

The grip of the older man's hand on his jaw had begun to hurt slightly and Eugeo's panicked breathing had resolved into tears welling up and dripping down his face.

"Where is she," he finally managed to speak, although a sudden sob muffled the words.

Kikuoka tightened his grip further as the blond boy began to struggle a bit. "Where is who? What do you know Eugeo?"

"Alice," Eugeo's voice cracked with another sob, "Where is Alice? Alice _Zuburg?_" He couldn't speak any further as terrified sobs overcame him and he crossed his arms tightly against his heaving chest.

"Well, now, that wasn't that difficult was it now?" Kikuoka released his grip on Eugeo who immediately shied away from him, turning against his own shoulder to sob. Kirito and Asuna on either side felt anger boiling in the pits of their stomachs, but dared not move lest Kikuoka lose his patience.

Standing up slowly, he addressed Eugeo again, looking down on the boy with a mixture of annoyance and something resembling distain on his serious face.

"Who told you that name?" his voice was low and harsh.

"Nobody told him anything!" Kirito daring to speak added, "He told us. He was hallucinating and crying in his sleep, obviously he remembered something. When he told me, I didn't know what he was talking about but now," he paused and glanced at Asuna and then Eugeo, "Now I remember her name too!"

"Is this true boy," Kikuoka's voice rose slightly higher as he glared down at Eugeo. "Is it?"

Nodding slightly through his sobs Eugeo was able to manage just one word.  
"Yes."

"You're a smart boy."

Kikuoka sat back down.

"My team has told me you've recovered much better than they thought you would. You weren't even expected to survive, and yet here you are. I've been told you've also scored quite high on the IQ tests my team came up with to test you? But all of this...bears no explanation to how you know this name..." his voice drifted off and the look on his face returned to one of serious, but non-threatening musing. For a few more moments Eugeo struggled to control his crying. Kirito placed his hand firmly on his friend's shoulder in a sign of reassurance and the blond boy took a few jagged breaths before slowly turning his tear stained face towards Kikuoka again.

"So, you're saying you know where she is? Where Alice Zuberg is?" his voice wavered a bit and he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "You know where she is?"

"Fascinating." Kikuoka murmured shaking his head. Then he turned away from Eugeo to Kirito.

"You didn't answer my question," Eugeo added, his voice becoming less frightened and more determined.

"No," continuing to stare at Kirito, Kikuoka replied, "I haven't now, have I? Although, I do have a question that I must ask before I can answer yours, Test Subject Five. Kazuto, Miss Yuuki, there's quite a significance to this name, do either of you know why?"

"No," Kirito answered, "Why would we know?"

"Because you two are both of this world, this boy is not," Kikuoka turned back towards Eugeo and rested his chin in his hands again.  
"Since none of you truly seems to realize the information this boy possesses, let me enlighten you three," he began.

"When we founded Rath sometime ago, before any of you were born, all we had was a brilliant plan to study and manipulate the souls of humans in order to better understand and further our research into artificial intelligence. We had a theory that no one else had, but at first the Japanese government wouldn't give us the funding we needed because we had no solid proof that our ideas could truly become a reality. Of course, we knew with the right equipment and setting we could flourish. When we brought our ideas of how to study and manipulate human souls to several investors, none would touch it. Even experimental labs in the United States and China wouldn't take us on. Everyone sighted logistical and ethical issues with our hypothesis and methods...just when we thought we would never get the funding for our research, a billionaire tech and energy giant from Germany reached out to us expressing interest in funding our research. He also had strong connections to Japan technology companies and offered to show us how we might, eh, circumvent, some of the logistical and ethical issues we were facing. In fact, he wanted to be the first investor and promised us a huge sum to fund our original project, the prototype STL, and the study of the composition of the human soul.

His name was Fredrik _Zuberg_.

He was the head of the firm _Technik_ based out of Berlin, but with a new state of the art lab he was also building in Japan, just outside Tokyo as well. Not only did he fund our research that brought the STL into being after just ten short years, but his the lawyers in his firm were able to help us secure ten Russian orphans that had been surrendered to the state for our original tests on human fluctlights. From these, five were chosen for our original STL Fluctlight Program, your friend Eugeo here, was the fifth one. For the first five years of our project, we had no goal other than to study and manipulate fluctlights with the hopes of cloning and then manipulating those cloned fluctlights, laying the ground work for bottom up artificial labile intelligence. When we finally had the funding and research to bring to the Japanese government in order for them to sign off on the new facilities, it was Fredrik Zuberg who suggested we give a code name to the project to keep the STL under wraps. He had two daughters, one Anna, who was very sickly and passed from a rare form of cancer at just 12 years old and her younger sister...Alice. It was this younger daughter that the project's name came from, _Artificial Labile Intelligent Cybernated Existence_, project _Alicization, _or as it was known before, Project Code Name: Alice."

At this point Eugeo, who had been gazing blankly down at his hands turned his head slowly towards Kikuoka, a sudden fire burning in his green eyes and with his limited strength he took a breath in and spoke in a suddenly calm tone.

"But where is Alice..._now_?"

Kikuoka's strange half smirk returned, "You're correct, I haven't answered that question yet, boy. But you know one thing, of all the orphans we chose for this project, I never imagined any would survive, let alone you. It's truly fascinating." He leaned forward, his dark eyes boring into Eugeo's green. "Your mother was apparently riddled with a heinous addiction to both illicit drugs and alcohol. You were born completely brain dead, and now, you sit here asking me about the foundations of my research almost twenty years later...my..." he shook his head again, "unbelievable, most people would presume." For a moment he watched the shocked looks on both Kirito and Asuna's faces then chucked darkly and continued.

"But that's not what you're here to know, Test Subject Five, you don't care about your origin, or who your mother and father were, or even why we chose you in the first place...you want to know about a girl you've never met who's name this project just happens to derive it's own name from. Truly fascinating." He paused for a moment to think, then began speaking again, faster and with slightly more emotion. "After Fredrik's elder daughter Anna died, her sister Alice, who was six years old at the time found that she suddenly had to take the place of the child they lost. I remember it well, Anna was a smart, kind girl and her sister was a mischievous little brat. But perhaps, if I had been the sibling to live in my perfect older sister's shadow, I would have reacted the same way. Nevertheless, Alice attended the premiere schools in Europe for her education and she was a smart girl, but, she had a rebellious streak that her parents could not break her of. Just about two years ago after she turned seventeen, she was involved in a horrific car accident that was later attributed to the intoxicated driving of the friend of her who had been driving the car." He watched as tears began to well up in Eugeo's eyes again and leaned forward a moment, watching the boy struggle to keep his composure.

"Most would have been instantly killed in such an accident. In fact all four other people in the car were, except for Alice." He sat back as he watched a pained look of relief settle on Eugeo's face among the tears. "Since Fredrik was the founder of our research and a influential and determined man, his daughter was sent to the finest hospital in Europe to undergo surgery to save her life. Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do to keep the girl from ending up brain dead, a fate which her parents looked upon as worse than losing a second child.

And that's where Rath came in again. I received a phone call nearly two years ago to this date that Alice Zuberg was going to be transferred to a private medical lab and that her father had ordered a custom version of the STL to house her. I hadn't spoken with him in almost ten years after the project took off but now I found myself traveling to Berlin to finish the install for our latest and most updated STL. A machine which has kept his daughter alive for two years and provides the only possible promise of her eventually recovering fully. Alice's fluctlight was placed in the same program that you and Kirito underwent. But what truly is mind boggling is that you have some connection to this girl that you've never met, you, a boy who shouldn't have even survived the gestation period of his drug ravaged mother. What sort of will does your soul possess that you've survived this far? You want to know where Alice Zuberg is? She's in the same coma you've been in since your birth in a state of the art medical version of the STL in Berlin, Germany. She's been there for two years. How you've come to know of her, I can only guess is some fluke within the STL programming. But, now you know." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head. "However, sometimes knowing...is the worst part of it."

"No," Eugeo's voice broke the crushing silence. "No, there's more to it." His eyes, glowing, met Kikuoka's. "I knew _her_, not just her name. You won't tell me otherwise. How could I know otherwise, you just said yourself that..." he broke off, swallowing hard, unwilling to repeat the callous words that Kikuoka had just spoken. Instead he steadied himself, gripping either side of the wheelchair and using all the limited strength he had to force himself, shaking, to his feet for the first time ever on his own. Both Kirito and Asuna gasped as Eugeo stood there, unsteady, but determined, his eyes fixed on Kikuoka.

"Take me to her. Take me to Alice. Take me to her, _now_." His voice was steady and frigid.

"What a magnificent specimen you are," Kikuoka murmured under his breath as Eugeo continued to stare him down. "You've never stood on your own two feet before? How does it feel?"

"I don't care how it feels." Eugeo's head had begun to feel dizzy but he forced himself to stay standing. "I don't care, just take me to Alice. NOW!"

"Alright," Kikuoka clapped his hands together and stood up, facing the scrawny blond boy before him. "You've proven your worth, Test Subject Five, I'll take you to the Zuberg Facility. I cannot promise you will like what you find there, but your sheer will and determination is something I cannot see go wasted..."

Eugeo didn't even hear him finish the sentence for he had collapsed, wilting into a dead faint back into the wheelchair behind him.

**So sorry I've so slow to post this chapter! Life has been crazy and I haven't had a lot of time to work on it. Hopefully, things have settled down enough that I can write more. I also plan on going back and editing previous chapters for more grammar stuff as well.**

**I have some good stuff in the works.**

**Some notes for this chapter:**

**I wanted to portray Kikuoka and Rath as more sinister than they are shown in the anime, it fits the theme better I think. Only people with a dark ulterior motive would keep comatose kids as their lab rats for 18 years right? Since the story is AU anyway, I figured I'd take my own artistic liberty with it.**

**We'll learn more about Alice and her real life sister in the following chapters, I didn't feel I wanted to carry the name Selka to the real world because in the Underworld Selka is Alice's younger sister, while in the real world Alice is the younger sibling. But the rebellious theme will definitely be important to her character. More on that to come.**

**Eugeo is a stubborn little hero isn't he?**


	8. Chapter 8: Berlin

BERLIN

* * *

"Huh?" Eugeo tossed his head to the side.

"Wake up, silly!"

"What?" Scrunching his nose and turning away Eugeo yanked the blankets around his head.

"You've become lazy," the voice beside him sounded clearer.

"Alice?"

"I'm surprised at you, Eugeo!" Opening his eyes, he was met with a fierce blue stare just beyond the blankets he had pulled up to his face.

"Alice?" He reached out, his entire form begging to touch her soft hair.

The girl next to him laughed. "Lazy, silly, Eugeo!"

"Alice...stop teasing me...Alice!" Eugeo reached out but couldn't touch her. "Alice...come...back...come BACK!"

"AH!"

Lurching forward, Eugeo let out a sharp gasp. The scene before him had changed. He was lying in a narrow bed next to a little window. All around him a strange roar and vibration filled the air. As he tried to sit up, he felt a slight tug of something restraining him at the waist.

"What the hell?"

"Hey," Kirito's voice echoed from beside him. "Eugeo, you're awake!"

"Yeah," the blonde rubbed his eyes and then shook his head. "What the hell happened? Where are we? What happened to that Kikuoka guy and the doctors and nurses?" As his vision cleared he could make out the form of his dark haired friend sitting next to him.

"Eugeo, don't you remember? You convinced him to take you to Alice." Kirito leaned forward and placed his hand on Eugeo's shoulder. "You stood up against him! Then you fainted, but Rath let us go and put us on a direct flight to Berlin, Germany."

"Flight?" Eugeo shook his head again as the strange roar echoed in his ears.

"Oh," Kirito had moved from his seat and was now sitting on the edge of Eugeo's small bed. "Sorry, I forgot you don't know. So, in the real world we have these things called planes...they can fly us all the way around the world. It's a pretty convenient way to travel."

"_Fly?" _Eugeo tugged at the restraint around his waist then reached up towards Kirito. "What the _hell_ do you mean..._fly_?"

"Airplanes," Kirito tried to explain again. "They're these big machines that can fly us through the sky to wherever we want to go." Reaching down he undid the belt restraining his friend so Eugeo could sit up. The blond boy reached up and grabbed the collar of his friend's shirt and in a panicked tone continued.

"You mean we're in the _sky?_"

"Yeah, they're taking us to the Zuberg Facility in Germany, I guess. This is the fastest way to get there. Honestly, Eugeo, after you passed out they took us to the deck of the Ocean Turtle and loaded us on this plane. I can't believe you've been out this long! The nurses must have given you some sedatives or something. We've been traveling for nearly seventeen hours!"

Eugeo gripped the collar of Kirito's shirt even tighter, his face growing white. "What? They're going to take us to..._Alice_?" Swaying a little under the panic that had risen up in his chest, Eugeo's head went numb and he wilted against Kirito's shoulder.

Kirito gave a small sigh and swung his feet up onto the narrow bed beside the unconscious Eugeo. After a few moments, he shook him slightly.

"Hey Eugeo, wake up!"

The color had returned to the blond's face and he gave a small grunt and pushed his head against Kirito's arm.

"Wha?"

"You okay?" Kirito shook him again. "You panicked. Why don't I get you some water or something, you're probably dehydrated too."

"Um, okay," Eugeo mumbled as Kirito helped him sit back up and held out a water bottle to him.

"Thanks," Eugeo pressed it against his lips and gulped down the water as the haziness in his vision evened out.

"Better?" Kirito asked, taking the empty bottle from him and patting Eugeo's shoulder.

"Yeah, I think so." Eugeo leaned back against Kirito and gave a small sigh.

Remaining silent for a few moments, Kirito cleared his throat.

"Hey, I know all of this...it's overwhelming..." He turned towards Eugeo who had wrapped his arms around Kirito's arm and was trembling slightly.

"...but you've gotta stay strong...for yourself...for...Alice..." his voice faded and he felt Eugeo nod against him.

"I know," the blond's voice was muffled. "I'm just...scared."

"Yeah," Kirito agreed. "I understand. But you've got me and you've got Asuna. We're in this together, Eugeo." He ran his free hand through Eugeo's hair.  
"Thank you, Kirito." Eugeo let go of his arm and wrapped his arms around Kirito in a soft hug.

* * *

When the plane finally landed, a new doctor and two nurses appeared to take them from the plane to the facility. All three of them were given new clothes and warm coats. When they were dressed and off the plane they found themselves in an airline hanger with a plain black car waiting for them. The air around them was cold enough that they could see their breath.

"It must be winter?" Asuna had commented in wonder, wrapping the scarf the nurse had draped around Eugeo's neck a little tighter so he wouldn't be cold.

For the rest of the car ride the three of them were silent as they watched the rolling fields around the airport pass by into the city, which looked cold and gray under the cloudy skies. After passing through many streets and by tall buildings, the car took a turn and began heading back out into the countryside. The rolling hills were covered in a light coating of snow and the bare trees stood silent against the gray sky. As the city faded off behind them, they drove up into the hills and another sight came into view: several large buildings and a magnificent mansion over looking the gray, snowy city. Pulling through a gate, the car followed a long winding lane up to the front of the mansion. As they got out of the car into the cold they were met by the same doctor and nurses who helped Eugeo into a wheel chair and brought them towards the right were a large gray, but very modern looking building stood. The lobby of the building was quiet save for a secretary sitting behind the front desk talking on the phone in a low voice. One of the nurses approached her and said a few words. To the right of them, a door opened and several other doctors and nurses lead by a tall man in a white lab coat entered the room.

"Greetings, you must be the ones Kikuoka sent to us from the Ocean Turtle. Welcome to the Zuberg Facility and to Berlin." He bowed his head slightly. "My name is Dr. Adrian Hessler, I am Dr. Zuberg's lead researcher. You must be exhausted from your long journey. We can show you to your rooms immediately."

"No," Eugeo spoke up before the doctor had even finished his sentence. Despite the fact that all three of them were pale and tired, a glow of determination filled Eugeo's eyes. "I don't care how I feel, you need to take me to see Alice. That's why we came here after all!"

Dr. Hessler stepped back, a rather surprised look overcoming his face.

"Well, Kikuoka was right about you! You must be the boy, Eugeo. You really are determined aren't you?"

"Why would I come all this way not to see her?" Eugeo's voice was cold.

"Of course of course," the taller man laughed slightly. "One would figure you'd be exhausted from such a long journey!"

"He's right though," Kirito chimed in. "We need to see Alice, it's the only reason we came this far. What's the point in waiting?" Beside him, Eugeo had grown restless.

"Take me to her..._now._"

"Must you rush so?" Dr. Hessler leaned forward towards Eugeo. "You seem to have such a dire need to see a girl who has been unresponsive and unconscious for nearly two years. Most would want to rest first."

"NO," Eugeo's voice cracked with emotion. "I don't care! Take me to her!"

"Very well," the doctor chuckled darkly and motioned to the nurses on either side of him.

They were taken through the door and up a long hallway. Towards the end they took a right turn through multiple security doors and into an elevator that took them up a few floors before letting them out in a large entrance way. Dr. Hessler led them through the doors. After a series of pin pad codes and retinal scans they found themselves in a small white room with a large dark window opposite them. For a moment, the three of them looked around confused as the doctor spoke to a nurse who had just come out of a small door from the far corner of the room. She turned to a pin pad by the door, typed in a series of numbers and the dark window before them suddenly became illuminated, rather the room beyond it was filled with light, revealing a large hospital bed nearly covered by a sleek, modern version of the STL. In the bed, mostly hidden by the STL gear was a slim blonde figure: a young woman clothed in a plain white hospital gown, her long blonde hair in a soft braid to the side of her head. Her pale arm was visible, lying at the edge of the bed with various sensors and IVs attached to it.

"_Alice_."

Eugeo had grown even more agitated and struggled to keep his composure. His eyes widened in horror as he tried grasping at the sides of the wheel chair to stand. Kirito, standing behind him pushed the wheel chair up to the window as the blond boy gasped and pressed his hands against the cold glass.

"ALICE!"

Asuna placed her hand softly on Eugeo's shoulder trying to comfort him, but the blond boy pulled away. His pupils had shrunk into his green eyes and his face had gone white. He continued reaching and grasping at the window, desperate for a closer look at the unconscious girl beyond.

"I apologize, but the Zubergs have ordered us to keep her sealed away for the time being," Dr. Hessler approached and stood beside them. "It's for the girl's own good. Though the STL has been keeping her alive these past two years, she is still very weak and they don't want to risk too much contact with the outside."

"No," Eugeo spoke in a desperate whisper and pressed his face against the window. He couldn't make out Alice's face under the STL gear.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said again. "We have been hoping she would have made more progress by now, but unfortunately we have had no breakthroughs as of late."

Kirito turned to look at Eugeo who was staring open mouthed through the window at the seemingly lifeless Alice. Tears had begun to well up in his eyes and he was trembling uncontrollably with panic.

"Eugeo," he touched his friend's shoulder slightly.

"No. NO!" Eugeo pushed him away and slammed his fists against the window in a panicked rage.

"Please, Eugeo," Asuna spoke in a soft voice. "We knew what we would find coming here, please try not to be too upset. You're still weak too!"

Eugeo shook his head and gave a low growl as he tried clawing at the window.

"No, this can't be it. She can't end up like this. Alice. ALICE!" Lurching himself forward he grasped at the edge of the window and somehow pulled himself to his feet, throwing himself weakly against the glass. "This can't be the end! Alice! ALICE!" He banged his fists on the window as his voice cracked with sobs. "PLEASE ALICE! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" Losing the strength in his legs, he slid down against the window to the floor, his voice quivering with sobs.

"This can't be," he struggled to pull himself to his feet, sliding back again with no strength left. "Alice! Alice!"

Kirito bit his lip as his friend's hoarse cries caused tears to well up in his own eyes. Beside him, Asuna had grabbed his arm and was crying softly at the pitiful sight of Eugeo struggling.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Hessler shook his head. "This is all we can do for now. Please, let us take you to your rooms and you can get some rest."

Eugeo sobbed as the nurses helped him back up into the wheel chair and led them towards the door. All the while his hand stretched out, reaching desperately for the girl behind the glass.

"Please, let me stay here, don't take me away!" His voice wavered as he tried again to push himself to his feet, but instead the exhaustion of his journey lulled him into a crying stupor. "Please! Don't take me from her!"

* * *

They were shown to their rooms. Asuna was given her own while Kirito and Eugeo shared a room at the corner of the long hallway somewhere inside the building. Since the three of them were exhausted but jetlagged from their long journey, the nurses gave them each a large glass of water and some sleeping pills. At first, Eugeo refused his, saying he wouldn't sleep until he got to see Alice again, but Kirito had convinced him that he needed some rest and coaxed the upset Eugeo to take the pills and finally sleep.

* * *

A faint rustle and the sound of girlish laughter filled the room. Eugeo tossed his head to the side and opened his eyes. The bright sunshine was streaming through the window just beyond and a soft warm breeze played with the curtains flanking either side.

"Eugeo!"

The giggling voice beside him piped up again.

"Huh? What? Alice?" Rubbing his eyes Eugeo turned towards the sound.

"Hi!"

His green gaze met two large blue eyes with long lashes batting against them. Alice was laying next to him wrapped in soft blankets and smiling, her cheeks tinted with blush.

"Alice," he whispered again reaching out to touch her. This time his hand brushed against her face. Her skin was soft and warm.

"What?" She tilted her head to the side and smirked at him.

"Nothing, I just..." Eugeo's voice faded as the blonde girl reached out and pulled him towards her.

"Why don't you just kiss me then?" Her voice was devilishly teasing. Then, she instead leaned over and pushed her lips against his, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close to her. For a moment Eugeo's eyes widened in surprise but the feeling of Alice's soft form against him was soothing and he slid his arms around her waist and up her back, resting them on her bare shoulder blades. Alice giggled again as she kissed him, running her hands through his hair. When she finally pulled away, her face pink with blush, she smiled and spoke.

"Good morning!"

Eugeo sighed slightly and let his forehead rest against hers.

"Alice..." her name floated off his lips as he met her gaze. The blonde girl continued to smile back at him, her blue eyes merry and mischievous. Pulling him close to her again, she kissed him this time with more force, winding her arms around him and tugging at his hair slightly.

"Hey!" Eugeo pulled away and laughed a little.

Alice didn't answer but continued kissing him. As her hands ran through his hair and around his neck and shoulders, the warmth suddenly left them and her voice seemed to fade away as the sunlight grew dim.

"Alice?" Eugeo murmured. His eyes were still closed but his voice wavered slightly.

She didn't answer. Her grip had tightened around his neck and the soft feeling of her hands had grown cold and callous.

_"Alice?!"_

Even her laughter had faded and a different voice drifted around him. The cold hands gripped at his throat for a moment, causing Eugeo to gasp and try to pull away. Laughter rang throughout his ears, but it wasn't Alice's. It was a different voice, cold and cruel.

"Give in to me, you _silly_ boy!" The lips against his were sour. Eugeo struggled, trying to pull himself away but the same callous voice filled his ears again as sharp nails dug into his back and forced him against a strong, cold figure.

"You're mine now, submit to _me_!"

"NO! Stop it, let me go!" Eugeo continued to writhe as the new voice laughed again.

"You _will _obey me, Eugeo Synthesis 32!" A pair of purple eyes flashed at him and he felt the sharp nails pull back as the cold hands ran down his back, pulling him closer to the sour lips and teeth that now hung on his bottom lip.

"Let me go!"

"Not until you do my _bidding_!"

"NO!"

"Submit! SUBMIT TO ME!"

Eugeo threw his head to the side and struggled harder as the cold female figure sank her teeth into the side of his neck and he let out a scream.

"Let me go! LET ME GO!"

"You're MINE now! You have no where to go but to ME!"

Somehow, Eugeo was able to wriggle out of the shadowy figure's grip and crawled away slightly before he felt the shadow reach out and slam him against the wall.

"You'd think a foolish boy like you would be _honored_ to have caught my attention." The woman now stood above him, violet eyes glowing above a wicked smile. The rest of her was hidden in the shadows of her long lavender hair that curled around her like smoke. Gripping him again by the throat she hauled him to his feet and thrust him against the wall so hard that it knocked the breath out of his chest. Eugeo began gasping as the shadowy woman pinned his arms back and whispered in his ear.

"You _will_ obey me and do what I tell you to do."

"No," Eugeo struggled but couldn't move under this strange figure's powerful grasp.

"It's useless, _Eugeo_, you won't find _her _here..." the voice cackled.

"No," he murmured again trying desperately to squirm out of her arms. "I know she's here and I'm going to rescue her! I'm going to find Alice and you're going to tell me where she is!"

"You're a stupid little _brat_," the woman laughed again, running her lips down his neck.

"Let...me...go..." Eugeo shuddered.

"It's no use! You seek a girl who never loved you. You can't save her from anything, but I can make you powerful, I can make you feel love." She pushed herself against him as Eugeo winced.

"You're wrong!" He cried softly. "You're wrong, Alice doesn't feel that way! I know how I feel and I have to save her, I have to tell her.

_I love her!_

Please, stop it! STOP! LET ME GO!" The wicked laughter grew louder as the violet eyed demon's stare turned red and the smile turned to a hideous snarl as her strength overcame him and Eugeo could no longer fight back, whimpering as she shoved him hard against the wall and dug her claws into him.

* * *

"Hey, Eugeo? Are you awake?" Kirito yawned, stretching his arms and rubbing his eyes, allowing them to adjust to the darkness. Glancing at the clock beside his bed he could see the time _4:00am_ but his tired body seemed to be unable to sleep any longer. Turning, he swung his feet off his bed and leaned over towards where Eugeo was still asleep. In the darkness, he couldn't see at first but reeled back as his vision focused again and he saw Eugeo sitting up in his bed, although the other boy didn't seem to hear him.

"Eugeo?" Kirito leaned forward squinting, "Hey are you okay?"

The blond didn't answer and after a moment Kirito realized he wasn't even awake, despite the fact he was sitting up and seemingly muttering something under his breath.

_"Is he hallucinating again? Shit, the sleeping pills!"_

"Eugeo, wake up!" Kirito nudged him slightly and then backed away as the blond swung his arm at him, still unconscious.

"What the hell?" Kirito backed away and watched as Eugeo brought his arms up and tried to brush something invisible off him. His muttering was still incoherent but his voice sounded frightened. Turing away he pushed himself against the wall behind his bed, cowering from something as his muttering became actual words.

"Please, stop! Stop!" Throwing his hands up again he flailed them out in front of himself for a moment, then whimpered and cowered back against the wall.

"Eugeo! Wake up! You're dreaming!" Kirito leapt onto the bed next to him and grabbed the squirming Eugeo, trying to shake him awake.

"STOP STOP! PLEASE LET ME GO!" Eugeo cried out. Kirito fell back as the blond pushed him away; his eyes now open, but unfocused. Falling back against the wall he again shrank away as if something was grabbing at him, his glazed look was filled with horror and he didn't notice Kirito desperately trying to wake him up.

"Eugeo!" Kirito tried to grab his arms but Eugeo pushed him away again and giving a hoarse cry, he crumpled against the wall as his eyes rolled back and he was reduced to violent shaking.

"Stop...stop...please...!"

"You're having a dream wake up Eugeo!" Kirito had crawled on top of him as the blond cried and trashed around. "You're going to hurt yourself, wake up dammit wake up!"

"Let me go, let me go!" Eugeo's voice faded into a snarl as he clawed at Kirito.

"Eugeo, please wake up! It's me! It's Kirito! I'm not going to hurt you!" Using all the strength he could muster he forced Eugeo's arms down and held him still as the blond continued struggling, his voice reduced back to an incoherent but truly frightened muttering. A few more moments passed and the boy continued to struggle before he suddenly went rigid and seemed to lose his breath. With a huge gasp he sat up so suddenly that Kirito fell back with surprise. Letting his head fall forward Eugeo was still for a moment, not even breathing, before he lurched forward towards Kirito who caught him and covered his mouth as the blond let out a horrified scream and finally opened his eyes.

"You're awake!" Kirito spoke, not pulling his hand away as Eugeo gave one then two more shrieks before falling against Kirito's shoulder, gasping for breath.

"Oh my god, what the hell?" Eugeo's voice wavered and he started weeping uncontrollably.

"Kirito, I'm, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" He could barely speak through his sobs.

"No, of course not. You must have been having a night terror or something. I've had them before but never like that! It's alright, Eugeo, I'm here." His friend couldn't answer, he was bawling and trembling against Kirito's shoulder. Kirito wrapped his arms around him and held him still for a moment.

"It's alright, you're safe now."

"Ki, Ki, Kiritoo..."

"Shh." Kirito gave him a soft squeeze and lied back in the bed, letting Eugeo curl up next to him and rest his head on his chest as the boy continued to weep.

"It was a nightmare."

"Kirito, I..." Eugeo gulped and gave another sob.

"What?"

"It's Alice," he whimpered. "I have to see her, I have to go to her...she can't end up like this." He gave another sob.

"It's gonna be okay," Kirito couldn't think of anything else he could offer to comfort Eugeo.

"They keep saying that it doesn't matter. I just need to be near her, Kirito. She _needs_ me!" His voice faded into another blubbering sob. "You don't understand, Alice. I...I...

I _love her_!"

Kirito rested his head against Eugeo and stoked his hair.

"I know." He whispered back.

"I can't take it. I can't stand to see her like that! What am I going to do?" Eugeo put his hand against his mouth, trying to stifle his sobs.

"I know," Kirito murmured again. "It's a horrible feeling, I know. But it's not hopeless, look...we got you back and they said it was nearly impossible." Kirito took his sleeve and wiped the tears off Eugeo's face. His friend met his gaze and gave a small sniffle.

"You don't have to go through this alone," Kirito added. "You're my friend, you're my _best_ friend." He paused. "You remember _that_ right?"

"My _best friend_," Eugeo murmured letting his body relax slightly.

"You and Alice. Before." Kirito continued. "I can't describe it, but I know. You two were my friends. There's no other explanation for why we feel this way."

"Yeah," Eugeo snuggled closer to him and closed his eyes. "I spent my whole life believing that...but it feels like I'm only just now remembering it."

"Me too."

"Kirito?"

"Mhm."

"Do you love Asuna?"

Kirito smiled. "Yeah, very much. Honestly, I don't think I've ever loved anyone as much as her." He gave a small sigh.

"I think," Eugeo started. "I think...that's how I feel about Alice? _Love_. I've felt it ever since I first realized it was her laughter I was hearing in my dreams...but then I realized I had even felt it before that...I think it's because of my memory...the STL."

"Those bastards," Kirito muttered. "Look, Eugeo, I know there's more to all of this. These strong feelings, the feelings of familiarity and friendship...it's real. Don't let them tell you otherwise."

"I won't. I believe it." Eugeo looked up at him. "I trust you, and Asuna."

"Good," Kirito smiled and gave a small yawn. Then he shifted onto his back and stared up at the ceiling for a few moments. "We're gonna figure this all out, Eugeo. We're going to get your memories back. I know it. We'll get you back to see Alice. Who knows? Maybe you can get her to wake up?"

"Do you really think that?" Eugeo had curled up next to him again, leaning his head against Kirito's shoulder, his eyes wide.

"Yeah. I do," Kirito assured him. "If you love her as much as you said, as much as I can see on your face..." he chuckled slightly. "I know it might sound silly, but love conquers all, you know?" He closed his eyes and smiled as he thought of Asuna for a moment, before looking back at Eugeo.

"Do you really think so?" The blond asked.

"I know so. Look, I've been through a lot, not unlike you, Eugeo." He rested his arm around his friend and pulled the blankets over Eugeo's still trembling shoulder. "But there's always been one constant in my life: the love I feel for my family, my friends, for Asuna. It's that same feeling you have, Eugeo. You're a good and kind person. And like I said, you're my best friend."

"Thank you, Kirito," Eugeo said yawning softly.

"You should try to go back to sleep," Kirito replied gazing up at the ceiling. "I'll lay here with you. Nothing bad will happen to you, I promise. You need to rest though."

"Aren't you tired too?" Eugeo sounded concerned.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine. Just close your eyes and sleep, alright?"

"Okay," draping his arm across Kirito's chest, Eugeo let his head nod against his friend's shoulder. Giving another sigh, Kirito smiled softly and placed his hand on Eugeo's in a sign of reassurance. Though it took a few minutes Eugeo's breathing became more relaxed as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Closing his eyes, Kirito gave another small yawn and let himself relax as the overwhelming feeling of sleep overcame him as well.

* * *

**THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR KIND LIKES, FOLLOWS, AND REVIEWS! I'm really getting into this fic and I'm so glad you all like it too!**

**ALICE FINALLY APPEARS. EEEEEE! **

**Also, Quinella WTF YOU DOIN? I always saw the Synthesis ritual as more of a vicious act (ie physical and mental violence/violation), I dunno I guess I'm just dark like that. You can only guess what she's trying to do to gain control over our poor Eugeo! **

**ALSO Eugeo's flashbacks are relatively important not only to his character in this fic but also a potential prequel I have in mind for the future ;)**

**Also, this chapter gave me an excuse to write some AlicexEugeo AND a little Kirito Eugeo fluff. I mean someone's gotta keep him safe until Alice wakes up! Poor Eugeo. Typically you're not supposed to try and wake someone who's having a night terror, but Kirito likes to go out of his way to save his friends.**


	9. Chapter 9: Zuberg

_Zuberg:_

* * *

"Oh, Kirito, how horrible? Is he alright?" Asuna sounded concerned.

"I think he'll be okay. He's still asleep now...I just didn't want to go far in case he woke up and needed anything," Kirito glanced back at the door to his room which was open slightly. He and Asuna were sitting next to each other in the hall outside talking in low whispers.

"I don't know what we're going to do though," he continued as Asuna took his hand in hers. "It's like we've come all this way to meet a dead end..." He gave an angry sigh.

"Eugeo...He doesn't deserve this... any of this."

"I know." Asuna squeezed Kirito's hand. "I felt the same way when you were in the STL. And you were the same when I was trapped in ALO. It's a hopeless, awful feeling, being apart from someone you care about so much. But, Kirito, I don't know if you're thinking straight...you're exhausted...we all are..." she turned away for a moment. "You can't push yourself too hard."

Kirito let go of her hand and put both of his hands against his face for a moment. His gray stare was sad and glazed.

"But, Asuna, _he_ won't get better without _her_."

Asuna bit her lip. "He has to though. He has to, for _her_ sake." Standing up suddenly her voice became firm.

"Alice will get better, but Eugeo can't wait for that! He's made too much progress already, he needs to keep gaining more strength!"

"He _loves_ her, Asuna..." Kirito let his hands drop into his lap and stared blankly at them for a moment.

"...and if he really does, he will get better." Asuna put her hands on her hips and glared down at him. "It's going to suck, but I know he has it in him. Eugeo's stronger than anyone will give him credit for and _we_ know that." Pausing for a moment she leaned forward and kissed Kirito on the cheek gently.

"For now, you and he need to rest. You've both been through so much. Look, I will do what I can..."

"Asuna...but..."

"Shhh. Go and get some more sleep, Kirito. Make sure when Eugeo wakes up that you're there so he doesn't have to be alone. _I'm _going to get to the bottom of this!" Asuna stood back up, looking defiant and beautiful as she always did when she had set her mind to something. She bent over and gave him one more kiss before turning to walk down the hall, her shoulders thrown back in determination. Kirito smiled as he stood shakily to his feet and turned to go back into his room, eager for more sleep.

* * *

"I want to see Dr. Zuberg," Asuna's face was set and her voice stayed even and firm, despite the anxiety that welled up in her chest. "I want to speak with him _now_ regarding this..."

"Miss Yuuki, the Doctor is a busy man..." Dr. Hessler leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "And even if I were to get a hold of him..."

"He wouldn't have time for matters concerning his _daughter_?" Asuna's voice became chilly.

Dr. Hessler leaned forward again towards the girl. "What are you playing at, Miss Yuuki? You're the girl whose sheer determination and will infiltrated one of the most secure facilities in the world...of a company who has never been known to trust _outsiders_. Truly, remarkable."

"You're just like Kikouka then," Asuna crossed her arms. "You don't care for those involved, just the end...the end that always justifies the means. This time though, you're playing with more than just that! People's lives are at stake."

"Feelings do not equate to the same thing," Hessler murmured. "A fluke in the STL's programing is a minor glitch..."

"It was more than that," Asuna's eyes narrowed. "He beat impossible odds, all to come here to see her..." she leaned forward and gripped the edge of the desk. "Eugeo _needs _to see Alice...Look, I'm not saying it will all turn out well, but," she paused and took a breath in. "We have to give him a chance. He _knows_ her! It's the only thing that's kept him from a total breakdown, through so much pain. How can you now take that away from him? It's all he has!"

"And yet, _you_ have little if any memories of them from before," Dr. Hessler leaned his chin against his hands.

"I'm not saying I've regained my memories, but I also wasn't in the STL as long," Asuna murmured. "All I'm asking is that you at least let _me_ speak with Dr. Zuberg, to try and get him to understand..."

"To put his daughter at risk from those in the outside world?" Hessler said.

"To at least give me a chance to explain!" Asuna's voice rose. "Kirito won't admit that he's exhausted and Eugeo is too unstable now. You've all done this to him... you at least owe some explanation..." her voice trailed off and wavered.

"You're a stubborn girl, Miss Yuuki," Dr. Hessler gazed at her for a moment. "You care very much for both these boys, Kazuto and Eugeo."

"I do," Asuna nodded. "They've both been through so much already. But," her eyes met the doctors, "If you had seen Eugeo when Kirito and I first saw him...it was like...he looked dead...I mean he basically was...but through all that he was able to fight his way back. Could you even imagine what strength that takes?" Her voice wavered again. "When Kirito was in the STL, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat... until I was near him." Her eyes shot up and glared back at the doctor. "Just let me explain, let me at least try to explain everything to Dr. Zuberg, certainly if he's a father, a good man like you say...he would understand." Tears had begun to well up in her eyes as she pressed her clenched fists against the arms of her chair.

Hessler chuckled a bit and shook his head. "Miss Yuuki, you are a persistent girl and honestly, something in your harsh stare reminds me of Miss Alice as well." He clapped his hands together. "I'll see if I can get you a meeting with Dr. Zuberg, you've convinced me."

"I want to see him now," Asuna reiterated, wiping her eyes in frustration. "This cannot wait. Look I'll even sit here until you can find out when I can speak to him..." she trailed off, crossing her arms against her chest and settling into the chair opposite Dr. Hessler, who sighed and picked up the phone on his desk and muttered something in German before hanging the phone up and answering her.

"Ms. Yuuki, if you'll come with me now...you're in luck...Dr. Zuberg will speak to you. I must warn you though, he is a much harder man to convince than myself." Opening the door Hessler lead Asuna out and down a hallway before exiting to a small door on the right. Beyond this door was another small room with a door and a nurse sitting behind a desk next to it. Hessler stopped before her and leaning over muttered something that Asuna couldn't understand as the woman nodded curtly and got up. Moving to the side of the door she entered a few numbers on a pin pad, then turned and opened the door, ushering the two inside another long, gray windowless hallway.

"Come now," Hessler waved his hand and Asuna followed him. At the end of the long hallway there was another door that opened onto a windowless stairwell that seemed to be leading them down. At the bottom, Hessler punched more numbers into a pin pad by the door. Asuna then found herself in a completely different room, in fact it looked like the entrance to a house, though it was much more grand and stately. The floors were polished marble and the walls ornately adorned with various moldings and large arching windows. A sweeping staircase lead up to another level where Asuna spotted a few maids dusting artworks and statues along the walls. It was up these stairs that Hessler lead Asuna into another large hall, carpeted and quiet, all the drapes drawn against the chilly gray winter outside it. Towards the end of this hallway he stopped her in front of a set of large, dark oak doors and knocked curtly, once, twice...

"Yes, come in..." the voice from beyond was muffled as Hessler pushed the right door open and turned to Asuna.

"Well... go in, Dr. Zuberg is beyond these doors." He smiled faintly, stepping into the room after Asuna.

Dr. Zuberg's office was brighter than the hallway. Opposite them, the two large windows let in a great amount of the cold, gray winter sunlight that fell upon rows and rows of bookcases, stacked from the floor to the tall ceiling with various volumes of books. Some looked quite old and ornate while the ones closer to eyelevel resembled large textbooks and dictionaries. The walls containing the windows were covered neatly with various charts, certificates, and some photos. One that Asuna could see was that of two men standing outside a building, which was somehow familiar to her. But she lost her concentration when Dr. Hessler spoke beside her, to a figure sitting in a chair turned away from them at a massive desk under the windows.

"Dr. Zuberg, may I present Ms. Asuna Yuuki. She has been quite persistent in wanting to speak with you..." his voice trailed off as the chair swiveled, revealing a tall gray haired man with a serious look on his face.

"As I presumed," Dr. Zuberg spoke rather softly, standing up and walking around the desk to meet them.

"Ms. Yuuki, welcome to Zuberg manner. I am Dr. Fredrik Zuberg," he extended a large, slender hand to Asuna, who nodded and shook his hand softly. Now that he was standing before her, Dr. Zuberg appeared even taller and sterner, though he was much more handsome than Asuna had imagined. His features were typically European, a sharp chin, round eyes and rather pale skin, while his gray hair was swept back neatly. His entire face seemed slightly skeptical, but not completely unfriendly, though his ice blue eyes resting under thick, arched eyebrows gave Asuna the feeling that he could see right through to the back of her head.

"Thank you Dr. Hessler," his eyes darted back up to the other man, who nodded curtly.

"I will take my leave then, sir," he stepped back from Asuna, who turned around in surprise as Hessler left and closed the door behind him.

"Ms. Yuuki, please, do sit down," Dr. Zuberg had gone back and sat down behind his desk, shuffling through some papers. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you," Asuna sat down and crossed her hands nervously together.

"Dr. Hessler said you urgently required to speak with me." Without looking up, Dr. Zuberg continued shuffling through the papers on his desk, stacking a few to one side and searching through the rest as if he needed to find something.

"Yes, sir," Asuna answered quietly. "It's really important..." she paused for a moment and took a breath, calming her nerves. "Actually, it's terribly important. It's the reason we came here from the Ocean Turtle..."

"Yes," Dr. Zuberg suddenly stopped shuffling through his papers, pulling out a red folder and placing it in front of him as he turned his gaze to Asuna. "So my colleague Kikuoka told me. I was honestly surprised to hear from him after all these years. Of course, he had been here in Zuberg Manner for the installation of the newest STL, but as you can imagine, I was with my wife at the hospital during that time. I assume that is what you have come here to talk to me about, the STL and Project Alicization?" He leaned forward, his voice and face not changing from the serious demeanor that still rested around him.

"Yes," Asuna nodded, "and I've come here to talk to you about your daughter, _Alice_ too." She paused for a moment, watching to see any change overcome the doctor's face. For a moment he continued to stare back at her, his expression neither softened nor changed. Then he cleared his throat slightly and leaned forward again, picking up the red folder in his hand.

"You came to speak with me about my _daughter_? I was under the impression you had a different question to ask me, Ms. Yuuki. Perhaps, something more along the lines of this?" He held the red folder up and Asuna could finally see what was written across the front of it

_Test Subject Initial Files: Project Code: Alice. 2008._

"These are the documents from my legal team, the team that helped Rath secure the orphans for the original STL fluctlight program. I assumed you were coming here for these? And yet, you are asking me about my daughter?"

Asuna's eyes widened. "Well," she stammered slightly, "Well, what I have to say concerns your daughter but not just her...it has to do with the STL and fluctlights as well. We wouldn't be here if it didn't. Look, Dr. Zuberg, I think there might be a way to help your daughter, Alice..." she trailed off.

For a moment Dr. Zuberg stared back at her and said nothing. Then he shook his head slightly and gave a small sigh.

"Ms. Yuuki, you must understand, my daughter...much has been done for her...state of the art equipment and treatment, and she has not responded to anything. Forgive me if I sound cruel or pessimistic, but I have begun to believe that not much else can be done to bring her back." He sighed again and his expression finally broke, serious fading into an almost sad demeanor.

"Please," Asuna piped up, "Please listen to what I have to say. Kikuoka did."

"I apologize," Dr. Zuberg said. "But you must understand the emotional strain myself and my wife have gone through, losing not one, but two children." He closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them. "So I apologize if I come off as harsh, but you must understand at least that."

Asuna looked down at her hands for a moment. "Dr. Zuberg," she began, "You were quite involved in the creation of the original STL and the study of human fluctlights, weren't you?"

"Yes, indeed I was. You're a perceptive girl. I even helped Rath install the original STLs that housed the first test subjects for Rath."

"The original test subjects," Asuna murmured, "The ones' whose fluctlights you cloned..."

"Yes, including the boy Kikuoka sent along with you, Test Subject Five. I've heard that you call him by a different name though, Eugeo, is it? Kikuoka also told me that through some fluke in the STL's programming that not only you, but also your friend Kazuto came to know this boy while you both dived into the STL? This boy who after 18 years in a coma woke up and made a seemingly miraculous recovery? Correct? And then he claims that not only can he recognize you and Kazuto, but that he somehow came to know of my daughter while diving in the STL's programing?"

"It's more than just that," Asuna cut in. "If you could see Eugeo, the way he talks about everything...the way he looked when he finally saw Alice... It's like the faint memory of her kept him going, as he grew stronger so did it. I don't know why everything happened the way it did, how he remembered us, how he remembered Alice. But Dr. Zuberg, he's miserable now!"

"And myself and my wife are not? Alice is our child."

"Yes, yes I know...and you'd do anything to protect her," Asuna added. "But you have to let us bring him to her! Look, Kirito and I wouldn't have survived the Sword Art Online project if it weren't for each other and the faith we put in our friendships! Even Kikuoka and his team had to admit that my dive into the STL provided something that attributed to Kirito finally regaining consciousness. If you keep Alice locked away from everything and everyone that cared for her, how could there be any hope of her recovery? I was told that the strongest feelings of friendship, familial bonds, and love have the deepest and most profound affects upon the human soul... fluctlights that interact with those familiar and closely bonded to them! Keeping Alice sealed away from all of this because of your fear will do nothing to help her..." Asuna's voice broke as trembling tears rolled down her face.

For a moment, Dr. Zuberg watched the girl before him, struggling to maintain her own composure. In some faint way, Asuna's persistence bore a semblance to that of his own two daughters, Alice in particular. Giving a sigh, his expression finally broke, and his gaze became soft and void of the harshness of before as he spoke.

"Miss Yuuki," he began, "When my elder daughter, Anna, became ill with a very rare form of cancer, one of the treatments left her immune system weak and desperately compromised. From then on, she had to be sealed out from the world and kept away from anything that would cause her further harm. Since her sister, Alice, was so young, we couldn't risk her passing on something to Anna." He stopped and wiped a sudden tear from his eye. "I can remember to this day, the look on my daughter Alice's face when I told her she could no longer talk to or play with her sister. Of course, we had told Alice that as soon as Anna recovered that they would be reunited...one couldn't explain to a child so young the reality of a terminal illness..." His voice faded again and he cleared his throat to continue.

"When Alice was in that horrific accident, after the surgeries, the treatments...I suppose I had become neurotic to a degree. She was in such a delicate state, her life hung in the balance of the STL, and anything that could or would disturb that...we had to keep her sealed away from that. I had to preserve my daughter, even if that meant I would most likely never see her conscious again. My wife and I could not bury another child... not now, not like this..."

Asuna was now watching him with a mixture of amazement and horror on her face. The realization had struck her.

"You don't think you can cure her? So, you'll keep her in this state of limbo for the rest of her life? What good is that? To save yourself the pain of her dying before you? What if she didn't die, what if she could wake up?! Why keep her trapped in the STL like this?"

Dr. Zuberg shook his head sadly. "She will be comfortable and free from physical and psychological pain there. Of course my wife and I want more than anything for her to be returned to us, but at least with this she cannot be harmed any further."

"I can't believe this!" Asuna jumped up and slammed her hands on the desk. "Dr. Zuberg, I'm sorry, but how can a man of your intelligence be so stubborn and ignorant! The STL doesn't keep you free from any of those things! Eugeo, who has no memories of life in this world has suffered more physical and psychological pain these past months than many people I know. All from his memories come from within that program! Rath didn't seek to keep their STL programming peaceful. They were planning to create artificial fluctlights who would fight without consequence or questions... completely loyal, even in the face of horrible pain and suffering! To put _real_, _human_ _souls_ through that has its own set of consequences and Eugeo is just one of those! What about _him_? Because he's an orphan with no family, no ties to this world, does that mean he has to suffer endlessly? He's _human_! Your daughter Alice is human! Maybe the artificial fluctlights can handle such merciless tests and the effects of the STL, but even those fluctlights are formed from humans, with emotions and feelings! Eugeo is in a state of complete despair. He believes he has no reason to even be alive! How can you let him live like that? Could you even begin to imagine how _he _must feel?" Her voice failed her again, choked with a sudden sob.

"He has _nothing_, except for those faint memories...and who knows if he will ever fully get them back," wiping the tears from her face Asuna met Dr. Zuberg's cold, blue gaze with sudden determination.

"And Alice is the key to this," she added breathlessly.

"My daughter?" Dr. Zuberg leaned towards her, a curious look overcoming him. "I'm surprised at your perceptiveness, Miss Yuuki, you're quite intelligent, you know."

"I can't take all the credit, Kirito thought of most of this, but he's still too weak...plus someone had to watch over Eugeo. He can't be left alone in this state, who knows what might happen to him!"

"Kirito? Ah, yes, Kazuto Kirigaya. I have heard much about him, he worked quite closely with Kikuoka and Rath."

"Yes," Asuna took a deep breath trying to calm her self. "And after he was attacked and his brain fried, they put him in that STL. When he finally woke up, I thought I might never truly get him back...but then we found Eugeo...it was Eugeo who helped Kirito begin to recover his memories and in turn Kirito helped Eugeo. But there's one part missing, one person who can help piece all of this back together...Kirito and Eugeo were convinced of it...your daughter Alice. Please, Dr. Zuberg, let us go and take Eugeo to her. Kirito was convinced that in someway or another it would help and I believe him. And perhaps it's my own silly way of thinking, but I don't believe that all hope is lost for her...but she won't get better until she's united with those who care deeply for her! It's the only way, please!" Reaching forward she grabbed Dr. Zuberg's hands. "Please! At least give us a chance!"

The doctor's eyes widened in surprise as the soft warm feeling of Asuna's small hands in his brought back memories of Alice... and Anna...

"Miss Yuuki," he said softly. "If...you will please...go and collect your friends Kazuto and Eugeo. Perhaps your theory has some weight to it that I, as an overly protective father have ignored." Letting go of her hands he stepped back and returned to his desk where he sat down and picked up the phone.

Asuna stood staring at him for a moment before the door behind her opened and Dr. Hessler reappeared, motioning for her to follow him back out of Dr. Zuberg's office.

* * *

"Eugeo, wake up!" Kirito shook his friend's shoulder gently as the other boy tossed his head and grunted slightly.

"Wha? Kirito?" Eugeo's foggy green stare met that of his friend who looked serious and concerned.

"What's going on?"

"Asuna did it, Eugeo!"

"Did what?" The blond rubbed his eyes and sat up slowly, a sudden wave of dizziness overcoming him and causing him to push his head into his hands as Kirito patted him on the shoulder.

"She spoke to him, Dr. Zuberg! She said they would take us to see her... to see, Alice!"

Though the dizzy grogginess from the lack of decent sleep and the after affects of the pills made Eugeo's head swim he forced his gaze back up, meeting Kirito's gray eyes as he grabbed his friend's shoulders to steady himself.

"What? _Alice_? I can see _her_?!"

"Yes...now..." Kirito turned as he caught the sound of footsteps in the hallway. "They're sending Dr. Hessler to take us there. Eugeo! Are you all right? You look so pale!" The blond boy had turned away, clutching his arms against himself.

"I can't... I can't believe it," his voice was hardly above a whisper as the door opened and Dr. Hessler, followed by Asuna and two nurses appeared with a wheelchair.

"Kirito, Eugeo!" Asuna stepped forward, placing her hands on each of their shoulders. "Let's go!"

Kirito stood up and slowly helped Eugeo to the edge of the bed. For a moment the blond boy paused, a mixture of fear and nausea crossed his face as the nurse pushed the wheelchair up beside him and Dr. Hessler beckoned to them.

"Come, let's go."

"Alice," Eugeo whispered under his breath, his stare had grown far away and foggy again as he stood shakily to his feet and then wilted into the wheelchair, covering his face with his hands. Kirito stood beside him and rested his hand on Eugeo's shoulder in reassurance. For a moment the blond boy didn't move, then let his hands down and tilted his face up with a nervous, but determined look crossing over it.

"Take me to her, Kirito, Asuna," he spoke again in a faint voice. Kirito glanced at the nurse who had stepped away from Eugeo for a moment, then he stepped forward and pushed the wheelchair through the door as they followed Dr. Hessler out into the hallway.

When they reached the room next to the STL chamber that housed Alice, Dr. Hessler stopped them for a moment as the nurse went over and took some things out of a cabinet on the far side of the room. Standing in front of them she handed Dr. Hessler, Kirito, and Asuna each a hospital smock and mask that they put on. Eugeo stared at her for a moment as the nurse offered them to him as well, helping him put his arms through the sleeves and gently fixing the mask over his nose and mouth.

"I'm sorry, but this is a precaution," Dr. Hessler spoke softly. "The Zuberg's are still concerned about the state of Miss Alice's immune system after the many treatments she's been through. I hope you can understand."

Kirito and Asuna nodded as Eugeo stared ahead blankly at the door that stood between them and the room that housed Alice and her STL. His face had gone pale and he was shaking slightly, but his green eyes had a determined fire and he clutched the sides of the wheelchair in some attempt to steady himself as the nurse stepped in front of them and opened the door, while Kirito behind him pushed the wheelchair into the next room.

The air was silent and stale and the whole room felt rather chilly as the nurse closed the door behind them. Facing the STL, Eugeo gave a small gasp as Kirito pushed his chair closer. This STL was smaller and sleeker then the ones on the Ocean Turtle and didn't take up nearly as much of the wall. A chill shuddered through Eugeo as he gazed over the edge of the bed. Alice's form was still and cold, most of her face covered by the STL gear, save part of her nose and mouth, which was set in an unemotional, blank manner.

"Alice," Eugeo murmured, a look of shock filling his eyes as Kirito pushed him up against the side of the hospital bed. For a few moments, he sat there unable to move as a feeling of absolute dread boiled up from his stomach and into his chest. Though the STL gear mostly covered Alice's face, her condition was such that she needed no respirator to breathe, only a small set up tubes up her nose. As he gazed at her, unable to speak or even move, Eugeo watched as slow, slight breaths left Alice's emotionless nose and mouth. Her skin was so pale it appeared almost gray under the cold fluorescent lighting and the dullness of the walls around them. The IVs in her pale arms were placed at intervals and her skin, though pale, was clean and free of any bruises. On the side closest to him, her long pure blonde hair was shifted slightly to the side in a soft braid that followed her arm down her side. Other than that she was clothed in a heavy white hospital gown and covered up to her chest with crisp while blankets.

Behind him, Eugeo heard Asuna gasp slightly as Kirito had turned and pulled her against his shoulder to comfort her from the pitiful sight of Alice, lying so cold and still as though she were a corpse. The dread that had filled his stomach and chest now spread to his arms and Eugeo felt as though he was frozen, before giving a small gasp. Gripping the sides of the wheelchair he pushed himself once again to his feet and reached out to touch Alice's hand.

"Alice," he whispered again, his eyes widened as his hand brushed against hers.

It was cold and lifeless.

"Alice?" this time his voice wavered as he gently wound his fingers through hers, the chill of her skin and boniness of her fingers causing his stomach to lurch suddenly as he gripped her hand tighter and his voice cracked.

"Oh, Alice!" his legs gave out from under him and he melted to the ground beside her bed. Taking her cold hand, he pressed it against his cheek and began to sob softly.

Kirito moved towards him, but Asuna stopped him and whispered.

"Kirito let him be." She pulled him close to her as Kirito's eyes welled up with tears as he watched Eugeo's crumpled form.

"Alice," Eugeo continued to cradle her hand against his face. "Alice, I'm here..." pulling away he wiped his eyes with his other hand and gazed at her for a moment. Her hand was still cold and lifeless no matter how tightly he held it against his.

"Alice, please." He moved his hand slightly, holding her wrist tenderly for a moment before...

"Alice?" Eugeo felt it. At first he thought it was his own adrenaline but he could feel it, Alice's faint pulse under her soft, cold skin.

"Alice!" Letting his head fall against the edge of her bed Eugeo held her hand against his face and began to cry again, a mixture of joy and panic welling up in his voice.

"I'll never leave you again! Alice!"

Kirito and Asuna stood behind him tears in their eyes as they held each other, watching the thin blond boy cry against Alice's hand. Even the nurse and Dr. Hessler wiped a tear from their eyes at the sight and sound of Eugeo's hoarse crying. Beyond them in the other room, Dr. Zuberg had appeared and watched the entire scene from the window, unbeknownst to the small group inside, huddled around Alice's bed. The sight of Eugeo had filled his heart with painful memories of the past: how he and his wife had stayed tirelessly by the bed of their dying daughter Anna, and again by the STL of Alice. For a few more moments he watched beyond the window before stepping silently into the room, holding his hand up to quiet Dr. Hessler and the nurse who noticed him first.

"Alice, I won't leave you," Eugeo had spoken again his voice shaking with sobs. "I won't leave until you get better! I promise! I promi...se..." he broke off, burying his face against her hand and shaking with each sob that rose up through his weak body.

Stepping beside Kirito and Asuna, Dr. Zuberg caught their eyes and nodded slightly before walking up and standing behind Eugeo who had been reduced to leaning against the side of Alice's hospital bed and shaking. The older man watched him for a moment, the way he held her hand so tightly, but gently against his face and how he would occasionally turn his tear stained face up towards her, only to bury it back against the side of the bed as his eyes got too full with tears. The sound of his crying, though muffled, was pitiful, his voice weak and hoarse from lack of sleep and overwhelming anxiety.

As Dr. Zuberg stepped forward once more he stood beside Eugeo a moment before gazing down at the boy and speaking in a low, soft voice.

"Eugeo, you've come quite a long way, haven't you? Our original Test Subject Five..."

Eugeo became still for a moment before turning his tear stained face up towards the doctor, Alice's hand still resting gently in his.

"Sir," he spoke softly, though his voice seemed almost too hoarse to continue.

"There's no need to speak now, boy," Dr. Zuberg's face remained serious, but his eyes showed a pain similar to Eugeo's. "I was foolish to think that you and your friends would cause harm by coming here, and for that I am sorry."

Eugeo couldn't answer but stared up at the doctor as his eyes overflowed with tears again. Dr. Zuberg watched him for a moment, taking notice of the boy's weak frame and how even now he was struggling to keep himself keeling by Alice's bed. Turning back to Dr. Hessler and the others he spoke in a low voice again.

"Dr. Hessler, I trust the physical therapy program we had in place for when my daughter woke up is still set correct?"

"Yes, sir, but..." Hessler began.

"This boy will need to undergo the same regimen. He's too weak now to even keep himself upright, though with all that Miss Yuuki has told me of him, I am sure that with the help of our doctors and nurses he may be able to walk on his own again." He caught Kirito's surprised look as Dr. Hessler nodded and turned to the nurse who agreed.

"Kazuto, Miss Yuuki, I do hope that you will stay with us here while we care for your friend, Eugeo, it is the least I can do after everything this boy has been through. Now I see that, perhaps you were right." His look grew misty as he glanced back over at Eugeo who had finally gotten his sobbing under control and was gazing desperately at the unconscious Alice under the STL.

"Boy," Dr. Zuberg addressed him again, "You friends were right in bringing you here. To see that there are others who care for the recovery of my daughter..." he broke off. "It is a good thing to see. Though I cannot promise that this alone will help her heal, but if you will allow us, we will do what we can to help you make your own recovery. Perhaps then you can figure out why you are here and what you mean in this world." He leaned over and touched Eugeo's shoulder gently as the boy turned and gazed at him with wonder in his tear stained face.

"Sir, I," he started hoarsely.

"There is no need to thank me, Eugeo," Dr. Zuberg reached down and helped the boy back up into his wheelchair. As Eugeo let go of Alice's hand he gave a small gasp but seemed to calm down slightly as the doctor took his daughter's hand and laid it softly by her side.

"You will be allowed to visit her when you have finished your treatments each day. I am curious to see if the theory your friends have is true. If the fluctlights of those bonded do interact outside the Underworld in a similar manner." He looked back at Eugeo again.

"I hope you know that this will be a long and painful recovery and that you will have to work harder than you ever thought."

"Yes, sir, I will..." Eugeo looked up at him his pale face seemed both anxious and determined.

"Very well then, it is settled. Dr. Hessler will oversee your treatment. I do wish you well, Test Subject Five...Eugeo..." He nodded curtly and turned to leave the room as Kirito, Asuna and Eugeo stared after him a look of wonder overcoming them.

* * *

The next day Eugeo was taken from his room early in the morning to be examined by Dr. Hessler's team. They determined that since the boy had been able to stand on his own, though only for very short amounts of time, that they would be able to proceed with treatments that would help him walk again. Besides this, he was put on various supplements and medicines that would improve his chances of regaining muscle and mobility not only in his legs but also in his arms and throughout his whole body. Kirito agreed to accompany him to the therapy sessions, which at first were horribly painful on Eugeo's weakened frame, often leaving him a crying heap, collapsed on the floor from the strain on his unstable limbs. Kirito would constantly reassure Eugeo that every day the pain would become more bearable and he would grow stronger, but it was difficult for him to watch how much his friend struggled just to stay standing for longer than a few moments. After a few weeks of what seemed to Eugeo as futile, Dr. Hessler ordered a new experimental serum, which Dr. Zuberg had been working on in recent years, to be administered to the boy in the morning and before he went to bed each night. Though it was supposed to give rapid improvement to muscle gain it caused Eugeo terrible headaches for the first few days that made it nearly impossible for him to get out of bed. As the pain subsided, Dr. Hessler's team strove to push the boy to his very limits and as a few more weeks passed the pain and agony of standing began to pay off, as one day Eugeo was able to do more than just stand, supported on each side by a nurse and Kirito, he was finally able to move his legs and take a step for the first time.

With these improvements, Dr. Hessler did not forget Dr. Zuberg's promise that Eugeo would be able to visit Alice each day after his therapy. Often, Kirito or Asuna would accompany him as well, though a member of Dr. Hessler's team always closely monitoring them at all times. Despite the pain Eugeo endured each day, forcing his limbs to obey and recover, none of that seemed to matter once he was in the cold, silent room beside Alice. He would sit there, mostly in silence, holding her hand and keeping a quiet vigil by her side. Often he was so exhausted from the day's work he would fall asleep sitting next to her, holding her hand. Even at night, Kirito noticed that Eugeo was no longer awoken by nightmares or night terrors. During the day, Eugeo's mood seemed to have improved as well, he no longer seemed gloomy or sad and despite the immense pressure and pain his body was under, he rarely cried but seemed determined, no matter what the cost to get himself stronger again.

One day, about two weeks after Eugeo was able to take his first steps, something incredible happened while he and Asuna were visiting Alice. As he always did, Eugeo was sitting by her bedside, holding her hand gently in his. For some reason, he had begun to whisper to her over the past few days. Nothing much more than, "Alice, don't worry, I'm here" or "I won't leave until you're better" to which the unconscious girl neither moved nor responded to. But today was different; Asuna had gone to sit in the corner and closed her eyes to rest, while Eugeo sat with Alice in silence. For some reason though, he felt the sudden urge to speak.

"Alice?" he whispered, as the girl gave no reply, her hand lying cold as always in his.

"Alice? I know you can't hear me, but," Eugeo paused. "But I want you to know something, I want you to know that I'm here, and Asuna, and Kirito, and your parents. We want you to get better, I want you to get better! I know that somehow you _will_ get better!" He broke off and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "No matter how long it takes, I'll be here everyday by your side until you wake up again. I wish I could talk to you about more things, but my memory is still faint. I have the same few dreams over and over: The sunshine and the fields from our youth. The fighting we endured. The vision of you, beside me in the morning. I can still hear your voice, but I want to hear it in this world now. I'm scared if I don't I might not remember... Alice." His voice faded off again.

"Please, please, wake up soon Alice."

As he sat back, silently holding her hand, he closed his eyes and forced his mind to remember: her smiling face, her blonde hair, her fierce blue eyes. Then, something else, her warm hand in his, a gentle squeeze of reassurance. Eugeo stayed still for a moment, basking in the few memories he had before he suddenly opened his eyes. The feeling remained, small fingers locked between his, a soft pressure.

"Alice?" Eugeo gasped looking down at his hand. Alice's typically limp fingers were curled slightly between his. Eugeo could feel her pulse slightly and gave another gasp as the unconscious girl squeezed his hand once more before going limp again.

"Alice!" For the first time in weeks, Eugeo broke down crying.

Dr. Zuberg and Dr. Hessler were amazed when they heard Asuna recount this to them. Though in the following days, Alice remained still and silent with no response to Eugeo, or even her father who had come to check on her. But they were convinced that indeed something had stirred deep within Alice's fluctlight, whether it was Eugeo or something from in the STL that caused it, the slight spike in her heart rate and the gentle grasp of his hand had proven one thing. Alice was not far-gone enough for them to give up hope.

Spring had now fallen over Zuberg manner and the cold, gray snow had given way to a pleasant cool sunshine that warmed the air enough to melt the snow from the trees. As the sun became stronger, small crocuses began to peer up through the remnants of the snow around the bases of the trees, which looked like they would begin their process of growing leaves any day now. Eugeo too had become stronger, now able to walk a short distance accompanied by one of the nurses or Kirito. He had begun to eat more and his hollow face had started to gain a true color and healthiness that neither Kirito nor Asuna had ever seen before. He talked more and though his memories were still quite scarce and foggy, he seemed as always, ever determined that they would eventually return.

It was now warm enough that the windows in Kirito, Eugeo, and Asuna's rooms were left open in the afternoon. Eugeo was lying curled up on his bed, exhausted from a long day of therapy and a visit to Alice. He was in the state of sleep where he wasn't quite dreaming, but his body was relaxed and still, and his mind not quite asleep yet either. From somewhere beyond his room a sound made him stir slightly, the sound of footsteps, people running.

"Mmm? Kirito? What's going on?" he muttered still half asleep as the door to his room suddenly flew open.

"EUGEO EUGEO!" Kirito and Asuna's voice were loud and excited, or panicked, the half asleep Eugeo couldn't tell as he rolled over and groggily tried to wake himself.

Kirito threw himself down beside his friend's bed and shook him violently.

"Eugeo wake up!"

"Huh?" Opening his eyes Eugeo gazed up at Kirito with a confused look on his face.

"What's wrong Kirito?"

"Eugeo, you have to come quickly, it's Alice!" Asuna spoke over Kirito's shoulder, her eyes wide.

"What?" sitting up Eugeo felt a jolt of panic rush through him as he grabbed Kirito by the shoulders.

"What? What's wrong with Alice? Is she all right? Did something happen?" his face went pale with sudden anxiety as he saw the looks on both Kirito and Asuna's faces. Both of them looked as though they might cry.

"No, no, it's nothing bad!" Asuna leaned forward and touched Eugeo's cheek. "It's wonderful! You were right, Eugeo, you were right all along!"

"What?" Eugeo's eyes darted from her to Kirito. "What happened to Alice!"

Staring back at his friend, Kirito's eyes broke into a tearful smiling gaze.

"Eugeo. Alice woke up!" He threw his arms around the shocked Eugeo who stayed still for a moment before wilting against his friend with tears of joy.

* * *

**Finally a LONG chapter! I've been so so busy since the fall and I apologize for not being able to post much. I'm getting to the part in this story where I feel like everything is really flowing, so expect some longer chapters hopefully! **

**Dr. Zuberg is going to be an interesting character to write I think, he cares about his daughter so much but doesn't trust people from the outside. Luckily, he took Asuna's advice. ALICE IS AWAKE! **

**The upcoming chapters will definitely be more Eugeo and Alice focused. There's still a lot more I have in store for this fic so PLEASE PLEASE keep reading and writing reviews! I love hearing what you all have to say and it's great to see that people appreciate this paring so much!:)**


	10. Chapter 10: Forget

**I want to add my notes before this chapter begins. First off, thank everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and favorited! I've been having a great time working on this fic and there is MUCH MORE TO COME. **

**Stick with me here. This is a drama and it's going to get a little crazy before things resolve. **

**YES. I want to write EugeoxAlice infinity, but for the sake of the story I have to work certain things out first. I know we all feel bad for poor Eugeo, but I can assure you things are about to start to really get interesting in this chapter and the next (which I am currently working on at the moment and am hoping to get it up before the end of this week or next!)**

**Again, I thank you all for reading and supporting my fic! :) Behold, the next chapter! ALICE SPEAKS!**

* * *

**_Forget:_**

* * *

_Bright light_.

_So bright._

It forced her to open her eyes.

_"Huh?"_

Closing them against the glare, Alice took a deep breath and let her eyes open again. This time she was met with not only the sight of light, but also a face she had seen before.

_"Dr. Hessler?" _

"Miss, Alice, can you hear me? Can you understand?" the doctor spoke seriously, while hovering just above her.

_"Yes_."

Alice nodded slightly, taking another breath and opening her mouth. Her voice was harsh and extremely hoarse.

"Yes."

The doctor's eyes widened as he stood back up and turned to the nurses beside him, who were still blurry and unfocused to Alice.

"It's a _miracle_! Hurry, call Dr. and Mrs. Zuberg! HURRY!"

For a moment, Alice watched the flurry of activity in the room before the light became too harsh and she closed her eyes again against the glare. Her head suddenly filled with a pounding ache.

"Miss Alice, _please_ stay with us!" Dr. Hessler's voice was close to her face again.

"Alright, but..." Alice swallowed and took another breath. "The light, it's so bright. And I'm still so tired." A weak yawn left her lips as she wilted back against the pillows on her bed.

When she opened her eyes again, she was met by the sight of her parents standing before her, looking tearful but relieved. Her mother fell down by the side of her bed, weeping happy tears and kissing her cheek: telling her over and over again how much she loved her, while her father stood silent, a faint smile crossing over his face.

"My, dear Alice. It's so good to see you awake again."

"Father." Her voice was muffled by the embrace of her mother beside her.

"My dear, there's no need to speak now, you must rest!" Mrs. Zuberg looked up at her husband with a concerned look on her face. "She is exhausted!"

"I'm fine, mother," Alice yawned slightly. "I can't believe I feel so tired. What happened anyway? The last thing I remember, I was with my friends before...we were out after a party or something?"

Her mother's look suddenly darkened as she stood up and grabbed her husband's arm, turning away from Alice. Dr. Zuberg sighed slightly and pulled a chair up beside his daughter's bed, sitting down to face her.

"Father, what's wrong? I mean, how long have I been unconscious for? I feel like I was just out, and then, I'm here? What happened to me? And the rest of them?"

"_Alice_," Dr. Zuberg took her hand in his as the blonde girl tried to sit up slightly.

"Father, I don't remember you looking so..._gray_? What's going on? Tell me!" Alice squinted at his hair as she heard the sound of her mother sobbing behind him.

"Alice," Dr. Zuberg sighed again. "Alice, my dear. There is no other way to explain this lightly, so I must tell you the truth. You are the only one who survived. Your friend's car was involved in a horrific accident. The other students, they died. But Alice," he paused and took a breath. "What I cannot hide from you is that...the accident was _two years ago_. You've been in a medically induced coma since. Your mother and I thought...we thought..." he paused again, wiping a tear from his eye. "We thought that you would never come out of it! That you would be trapped unconscious for the rest of your life! But now that you've woken up, my dear daughter, I cannot hide the truth from you." He bowed his head and kissed her hand gently.

"What the hell?" Alice brushed her other hand against her face, pushing her blonde bangs out of her eyes.

"_Two years_? The rest of them..._died_?"

"There was nothing we could do to save them Alice. They all died on impact; even I can't explain how you survived long enough to be transported to the hospital. After that, I had long thought that there was nothing I could do to save you as well. But, you've woken up again! My child, you're back!" Dr. Zuberg broke off sobbing as his wife stood behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"It's a miracle, Alice, dear!" she spoke softly as her father tearfully looked back up at her and nodded.

"A miracle indeed."

Alice couldn't think of anything else to say as she watched her parent's tearful faces. Instead she just stared back at the two of them. A mix of feelings flooded over her: confusion, dread, relief.

_Two years_.

The friends she had been with were gone?

"Two years," she murmured again as her parents both embraced her one more time. The sound of their happy crying made her feel guilty for worrying them so much: especially with everything they had gone through following Anna's illness and death. After they sat with her for a little while though, Dr. Zuberg and his wife took a reluctant leave of their daughter to let her rest.

Later on in the afternoon, her father and Dr. Hessler appeared again, followed by a team of nurses and other doctors who worked under them at the Zuberg facility. First, Alice was unhooked from the connections to the STL, her IVs checked and changed, while the nurses helped move her into a sitting position. Alice figured this would be incredibly painful after two years of lying still, but in fact it was much easier than she thought. The nurses then carefully helped her into a wheelchair, surrounded by blankets, and moved her to a larger hospital room with a normal bed, a side table, TV, and a few chairs for visitors. Then the doctors again ran tests on her vitals and her father administered the newest version of his muscle serum to her, as well as some medicine to help with any headaches or painful side effects. Lastly, Alice was then given an IV of fluid, a glass of water, and told to rest as her father and his team exited the room to leave her in peace.

Closing her eyes again, Alice went over the few thoughts she could remember over and over again before going unconscious in her mind.

_The car. _

_Her friends. _

_They weren't even the typical group she hung out with. She knew them from school, but somehow they were the ones who knew about the party? Had they all been drinking? Which one of them was driving? _

All she could remember after this was the screeching sound and a bright light before everything went dark. As she thought harder, it was the only thing her mind could come up with. The next memory was opening her eyes to see her parents standing before her and crying.

_"I must have blacked out on impact or something_? _Could that really be the last memory I have? What about that machine father had me in, the STL they called it? Do people in comas have dreams? I literally can't remember anything else besides that bright light, that horrible sound._"

Turning onto her side, Alice sighed and gazed at the wall below the window in her room. The blinds had been drawn since the light seemed to bother her, but she could tell even with that, the day outside was probably sunny and warm.

_"Two years...just gone like that?"_

Shifting again, she sighed restlessly and stared up at the ceiling for a moment before taking a deep breath and attempting to push herself again into a sitting position. At first her arms were like limp, lead noodles, giving no strength to force herself up. Giving a small grunt, Alice shook her arms weakly and forced them to obey. Sliding herself up into a half sitting position against her pillows and the back of her hospital bed, she then leaned back and closed her eyes.

* * *

When Asuna, Kirito and Eugeo, who Kirito was pushing in his wheelchair since it was a longer walk than he was used to, appeared in the hallway, they caught sight of Dr. Zuberg and Dr. Hessler speaking to a few other doctors and nurses outside the last room on the right. Dr. Zuberg paused, glanced up and caught sight of the three visitors standing rather nervously at the other end of the hallway. Waving his hand he beckoned them over.

"I figured you three would come once Dr. Hessler sent word." He had a relieved smile on his face, but still looked rather tired. "It is good to see you all! Alice is resting, but I am sure she would be happy to have a few visitors. As of yet, she seems a little foggy on the whole situation, but if your theory is correct Kazuto and Miss Yuuki, I'm sure she will perk right up at the sight of those who are familiar to her."

"Yeah," Kirito answered, looking down at Eugeo who had clasped his hands anxiously together and was strangely silent.

"There's nothing to worry about Eugeo. This is a good thing! We've been waiting and you've been hoping so long to see her again!" Asuna leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, which seemed to bring the musing Eugeo back to reality.

"Yes," his eyes lit up and he smiled up at her. "Only, wait one second," he pushed himself up into a rather shaky, but standing position.

"I'd like to walk in on my own," he said softly, brushing his bangs out of his eyes.

The others smiled at him and Kirito put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Eugeo!" Kirito always grinned a little wider than everyone else.

Eugeo laughed slightly, then turned to Dr. Zuberg, his look questioning if they could enter the room just beyond. The doctor seemed to read his face and nodded again, slowly opening the door and stepping inside before the three of them followed.

"Alice, dear. There are a few visitors who would like to see you."

_"Oh, cool." _

From the other side of the room a girl's voice piped up. As they stepped into the room, Eugeo following shyly after Dr. Zuberg with Kirito and Asuna on either side of him, they found themselves in a dim room with a few chairs and a large, comfortable looking hospital bed against the wall. The TV across from it was playing some German television show and the blinds had been half drawn to keep out most of the direct afternoon sun. In the bed, facing slightly away from them, was a thin blonde girl, her hair falling to the side of her head in a long soft braid, which obscured most of her facial features.

"Alice," Eugeo whispered as Dr. Zuberg bent over the girl and kissed her forehead.

Then he turned to the three of them.

"Do come in, don't be shy!"

From beside him, Kirito gave Eugeo a slight push and the blond boy took a few shaky steps forward as Alice finally turned to look at them.

_"Hi."_

For a moment, Eugeo couldn't answer her as his eyes widened. Alice looked every bit the same as he remembered. But, somehow seeing her now, in the real world, she seemed even prettier. Her eyes were even more fierce and blue then he had remembered from before. As the two of them gazed at each other for another moment or two, Alice turned her head to the side, her pale face filled with mixture of amusement and curiosity. Eugeo had expected that she would have looked much weaker and sickly, especially after everything she had been through. Though Alice was certainly pale and slightly too thin, the rest of her face and demeanor looked relatively healthy and strangely refreshed.

Eugeo's mouth had gone dry and he gulped silently. What was he going to say to her after all this time? He had rehearsed the scene over and over again in his head throughout the grueling days of physical therapy. But now that he stood facing her, he had somehow lost the ability to speak. From beside him, he felt Kirito's hand on his shoulder push him slightly closer before the dark haired boy spoke the words he couldn't seem to get out.

"Hey, Alice. It's good to see you!"

With this, Eugeo finally found his voice and stepped forward one more time, closer to Alice.

"I'm..." he paused and glanced down as his voice came out rather weak and suddenly embarrassed, "..._we're_ so glad you've finally woken up."

Alice smiled faintly at the three of them. Her face still bore some semblance of vague confusion when she finally spoke.

"Thank you, I appreciate that. And who are you all again?" Her voice wavered slightly.

Kirito caught Asuna's widened gaze the instant Alice answered. Moving closer to Eugeo, he spoke again, deliberately keeping his voice as cheerful as possible, though the bewildered look on Alice's face had made his stomach drop.

_There was a chance this might happen...no it won't...it can't..._

"Sorry! It's Kirito, Asuna, and Eugeo," he gestured to the others beside him. "I know you're probably still groggy from everything, but we wanted to come see you as soon as your father would let us. You're our friend after all and we've been hoping that you would wake up soon!" He forced a smile.

Alice gazed at them for a moment and tilted her head again, squinting slightly to get a better look at them.

"Oh," she started slowly, "so you're from school then?" Her eyes failed to hide her skepticism. "That's so nice that you'd come all this way, uh, what class were we all in together?"

Beside him, Kirito heard Asuna audibly gasp; though she quickly hid it by covering her mouth and pretending she had either coughed or yawned. Eugeo however, took another step closer to Alice and sat down in the chair by her bed looking concerned.

"_School_?" he said softly as the blonde girl continued to puzzle over him. "Not school. Remember from before?"

"Before what?" Alice shrugged and then glanced away in thought. "Oh, did I meet you _that_ weekend?" She leaned a little closer to Eugeo and shot her father a guilty look while she whispered. "Because that was kind of a crazy weekend. I don't remember everything completely, if you know what I mean." She blushed slightly and laughed. Eugeo however, grew more concerned and shook his head rather quickly.

"Of course not, Alice, what are you talking about?" Behind him, Kirito and Asuna exchanged a nervous glance.

_Could Alice not remember us?_ _Could that be possible? We remembered Eugeo, but perhaps..._

_How will he react to this?_

"You know, I think you're right," Alice began again, resting her chin in her hands and giving a faint smile. "It was definitely from school! I think we had that one class together? Psychology or something wasn't it? I mean, I doubt I could really remember anything from that weekend, even the car accident. I really can't remember that...it was like bright lights, and the next thing I knew I woke up to see my parents crying. How _crazy_ is that?"

As Eugeo looked at her, a chilling realization overcame him. Alice was serious. She hadn't recognized him at all. He had expected Alice to instantly remember him because his memories of her, though few, were so strong and connected deeply with his emotions. But Alice didn't seem emotional at all, in fact, she seemed more confused than anything. _Why couldn't she remember?_ He had expected it also because Kirito and Asuna had remembered him when they first saw him in the Ocean Turtle. Eugeo in turn had recognized them as Kirito and Asuna when he first woke up. But for some unknown reason, Alice was unaware, unaware of everything from before.

_Could she really have no memories from the STL? From the Underworld_? _That's impossible! _

_Isn't it?_

The slow feeling of shock spread through him as his limbs began to go cold and his hands started to shake. Clasping them together in his lap, Eugeo forced the welling panic back down his throat and broke into a soft smile, fighting every urge he had to reach out and beg Alice to remember...anything from before.

"Yeah. You're right, I think it was that class." His fake smile must have convinced her, because Alice nodded and grinned again as she reached out and touched his hand gently. The feeling was everything he had remembered it as: Alice's soft, small hand against his. Again, he swallowed the panic fighting to release up through his throat and stomach and giving her hand a gentle squeeze; he stood up slowly and smiled rather wearily towards Alice.

"Thank you for coming to see me, Eugeo, was it? I'm sorry I can't really remember you all from before, but it means a lot. Really!"

"Yes, you're welcome." Eugeo's voice had become monotone and he bit his lip as he turned away from her to the visibly shocked faces of Kirito and Asuna.

"So, I guess I'll see you guys back at school?"

"Yeah. Take care Alice."

Eugeo could no longer force a smile as he turned to leave the room. Alice focused back towards the TV as Dr. Zuberg, Kirito, and Asuna watched him with utterly surprised looks on their faces. Closing the door before the three of them could follow him, Eugeo stood for a moment gasping next to his wheelchair in the hallway. Then he turned away and took off, stumbling shakily up to the other end of the ward, his legs seething in pain and his head and breathing becoming dizzy and heaving. When he reached the doors at the end of the ward he leaned against them, gasping so heavily he thought he might either faint or throw up. Looking up at the florescent lights above him, the panic spread through his arms and legs causing them to numb against the pain. He then leaned forward again and pushed the doors open, staggering out of the ward and into the main hallway beyond. Behind the next wall he stopped, his breathing now to the point of hyperventilation, and his head pounding so hard that his vision began to blur. Swaying back, he felt himself fall against the wall as his legs gave out from under him and he crumpled into a heap, grasping his face in his hands and forcing himself to take labored breath after labored breath in some vain attempt to calm the drowning panic that had captured and paralyzed his entire body. After what seemed like an eternity, his body began to shake uncontrollably and the tears finally came: overwhelming him so much that all he could do was grasp his head in his hands and sob hysterically.

* * *

When Kirito and the others found him, Eugeo was no longer crying. The panic had subsided into a gripping numbness as the boy sat motionless against the wall. Though his eyes were red from tears, he stared blankly ahead as he held his knees up against his chest and rested his chin on his hands.

"Eugeo!" Asuna sounded relieved as Dr. Zuberg appeared behind her, pushing the empty wheelchair and looking genuinely concerned.

"Are you alright, boy?"

"I'm fine." Eugeo didn't move or turn towards them. His voice was emotionless and cold.

Dr. Zuberg looked at Kirito and Asuna. He already spoken to them in the hallway after Eugeo disappeared and confessed that he too had been shocked that Alice had no memories. Especially since he had agreed with their theory that she would have had some recollection... but perhaps this amnesia of the STL was some side affect from all of the trauma her body had gone through. When he turned back and tried to speak to Eugeo again, the boy would not turn towards him.

"I'm fine," Eugeo repeated again. "I'm tired, that's all." He leaned his head against his hands as Kirito and the doctor bent down beside him.

"You need to rest then, Eugeo." Kirito touched his friend's shoulder, but Eugeo remained still.

"Come on, let's get you back to your room, alright? Maybe you need some water or something?" Asuna tried to calm her nervous voice as the other two helped Eugeo back into his wheelchair. The blond still stared blankly ahead, and though his eyes were clearly red from crying, all the emotion had been drained out of his face which now looked rather gray.

"Alright, lets get you to bed so you can rest," Dr. Zuberg and Kirito helped Eugeo out of the wheelchair once they were in his room. This time Eugeo didn't respond at all and his body had gone limp as the two helped him up. This caused Kirito to nearly let go of him as Eugeo wilted onto his bed and remained motionless. Bending down next to him, Dr. Zuberg took the boy's thin wrist in his hand and first checked his pulse. Nodding after a few moments he pressed his hand against Eugeo's forehead and then his cheek.

Turning to Kirito and Asuna, he shook his head slightly.

"He seems fine. He probably overexerted himself. If he sits up later, give him a glass of water."

Kirito stared back at the doctor for a moment, then caught Asuna's gaze behind him. She looked concerned and almost scared.

"He may have some symptoms of anxiety as well," the doctor continued as he turned to leave. "I will have one of Dr. Hessler's nurses bring him something for that later. For now, just let the boy rest."

"But, Dr. Zuberg," Asuna began before she caught Kirito's serious gaze and put her hand against her mouth.

"I will have one of Hessler's nurses check on him later." Dr. Zuberg opened the door to leave the room.

"I'll stay with him for now then," Kirito replied softly, meeting Asuna's gaze instead of the doctor's. She could tell by the look on his face that she too should leave with the doctor, but her worried expression and pause caused Kirito to shake his head softly.

"It's fine, I'm just going to make sure he gets some water and falls asleep."

Asuna sighed slightly, but she knew that it was probably best that she and Dr. Zuberg left. If Kirito thought Eugeo needed anything, he would most certainly call them.

"Alright," she whispered as she and Dr. Zuberg left the room, closing the door quietly behind them.

Kirito stood at the edge of Eugeo's bed for a few moments, watching his friend lying there, his body still and stiff. The blond's breaths were shallow and inconsistent, and his green eyes stared in a glaze, unfocused ahead of him. Giving another sigh, Kirito sat down next to him and placed his hand on Eugeo's arm.

"Eugeo, listen to me..."

The blond didn't reply. His face remained pale and emotionless and the rest of his body was still, save for his eyes, which blinked slowly and still remained unfocused.

Kirito leaned closer and squeezed Eugeo's shoulder slightly.

"I know, Eugeo. You must feel just..._horrible_. I didn't expect this either...I thought she would..." his voice trailed off as Eugeo gave a slow blink and let his eyes remain shut as his eyelids trembled slightly and tears began to form beneath them.

"She...didn't..._remember_..."

Eugeo's voice was barely audible as his eyes opened, this time overflowing with tears. His entire body gave a slight shiver as he shut his eyes again and curled tightly against himself, bringing his hands up against his face and crying softly into them. Kirito watched him for a few moments as the feeling of guilt and sadness burned in his chest.

"_Eugeo,"_ Kirito wiped a tear from his own eye and reached out to touch his friend.

The blond boy recoiled slightly from him, rubbing his eyes and letting his hands fall away from his pale face, which had returned to a look of blank emotionlessness.

"Eugeo, please!" Kirito almost expected Eugeo to recoil away again as he brushed his hand across his blond bangs. But, his friend remained still as his eyes glazed over and unfocused again. Giving another hard sigh, Kirito leaned over and pulled the blankets up from the end of the bed, covering Eugeo to his shoulder. Then he stood up and watched the blond for a few moments before he went and sat down on the edge of his own bed and ran his hands though his hair in worry.

"Eugeo..." his voice trailed off again before he glanced up and stared at the unmoving figure of his friend across from him. Even Eugeo's breaths were so slow and slight that it took a moment or two before Kirito could even see the blond's shoulder rise and fall. Lying back onto his bed, Kirito gave another sigh and closed his eyes to rest.

When he woke up the room was dark and silent. Rubbing his eyes, Kirito rolled over and reached for the small alarm clock sitting on the table between his and Eugeo's beds.

_2:30am_

_"Geeze, guess I was tired?"_

Giving a silent yawn, Kirito sat up and rubbed his eyes. In the dim light from the alarm clock he caught sight of Eugeo who still seemed to be lying in bed as if asleep.

"Eugeo?" Kirito whispered quietly, climbing out of bed and leaning over to touch his friend's shoulder. When there was no response, Kirito walked around the other side of Eugeo's bed and knelt down next to him again. The blond boy appeared to be asleep: his eyes were closed and he was curled up under his blankets with his hands resting near his face and his knees against his stomach. His face however, still looked unhappy.

Kirito sighed and leaned against the edge of Eugeo's bed for a moment before standing up slowly and walking back to his own bed, where he laid back down and stared at the ceiling for a while.

_"I have to figure this out."_

_"I have to go and talk to Alice. Maybe I can get her to remember?"_

Gazing over his shoulder he again watched the silent, still form of Eugeo until he drifted off to sleep again.

* * *

The next morning Kirito was awoken by the bright early spring sunshine pouring through the window in their room. Getting up and stretching, he walked over to the side of Eugeo's bed to see if the blond had woken up. However, Eugeo still seemed to be asleep, though the pained look on his face had faded and his body was less rigid than before. Kirito fixed the blankets, pulling them back over his friend's shoulder before stretching his arms above his head again and leaving the room. It was still rather early, Asuna was probably still asleep as well...and if he was lucky, perhaps...

As Kirito walked down the halls of the Zuberg Facility, he found himself at the door to the ward they had visited yesterday with Dr. Zuberg. Stopping, he thought for a second or two before pushing the doors cautiously open. Then he walked silently down the hall until he came to the door they had stood in front of yesterday.

_Alice's room_.

Glancing back up and down the hallway, Kirito checked for any nurses or doctors and then peered through the window of Alice's door. There was no one inside, save for the blonde girl who seemed to be lounging, half sitting in bed. Taking a deep breath, Kirito carefully pushed the door open and slipped inside the room.

Alice had her eyes closed, though the TV was on across from her bed, playing some early morning news show that was in German. As Kirito stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, Alice stirred slightly and gave a small yawn.

"Who's there? Huh?" She opened her eyes and gazed at the surprised looking boy for a moment before adding.

"You're that boy from yesterday? What are you doing here?"

Kirito bit his lip and gave a rather guilty glance towards the floor.

"Sorry if I woke you up, Alice. I just wanted to come by and talk to you. It's Kirito, by the way."

"Yeah, I remembered that," Alice rubbed her eyes. "And you didn't wake me up, I was sort of just resting my eyes. I've been awake since before the sun came up."

"You remembered my name?" the words left Kirito's mouth in a rather astonished tone.

"Well, yeah...don't take this the wrong way...but it's kind of a weird name. You're Japanese, aren't you?" Alice now gazed back at him, brushing her hair away from her face.

"You're perceptive." Kirito responded, sitting down in the chair beside her bed.

"So?" Alice spoke.

"So, uh, what?" Kirito scratched the back of his head for a moment.

"Why are you here to talk with me?" Alice asked. "And where are your other friends? The brown haired girl and blond boy who were with you yesterday? Did they know you came to talk to me?"

"Well," Kirito started, "It is kind of early. I think Asuna is probably asleep."

"What about the blond boy? He seemed a little upset yesterday." Kirito's eyes widened as Alice spoke. "Well, maybe upset isn't the right word," she continued. "But he seemed a little disappointed or something?"

_"She is perceptive."_

"Well," Kirito started. "What I wanted to come and talk to you about sort of has to do with him, Eugeo, as well. Look, Alice can I ask you something?"

"Sure," the blonde girl leaned back against her pillows and crossed her arms against her chest. "What is it you want to know?"

Kirito paused for a moment. He wasn't sure how to phrase what he was thinking without coming off impatient or rude. Giving a sigh he met Alice's skeptical gaze again.

"Do you really not remember who I am? Or Eugeo? Or Asuna? Just be straight with me here."

Alice watched him for a moment before answering, her eyebrows raised slightly.

"I'm not sure why I'm supposed to?" her words were rather cold. "I mean, maybe we were in the same class at school, but I would have remembered someone who wasn't European...We didn't have a lot of exchange students, you know. But even that blond boy, Eugeo was it? He really seemed to think we had met before, but I don't ever recall knowing anyone with that name. I'm sorry..." her voice faded and she turned back to the TV for a moment.

"Can I ask you something else?" Kirito ventured.

"Yeah, sure," Alice had picked up the remote and started flipping through the TV channels.

"You were in the STL for two years," Kirito began then paused.

"Seems like it." Alice didn't turn towards him.

"Did you know much about how the STL, the Soul Translator works? Since your dad was involved in the project with RATH. It was a project that is named after you: project _Alicization_."

"Artificial Labile Intelligent Cybernated Existence," Alice mumbled. "I'm aware of the fact that those are the letters of my first name. What are you getting at, Kirito?"

"Actually," Kirito folded his hands in his lap. "My name isn't Kirito, that's my pseudonym, my in game name. My real name is Kazuto Kirigaya. I worked with RATH as an intern before getting involved with this project."

Alice put down the remote and turned back towards Kirito, a faint look of surprise blossomed across her face.

"Kazuto...Kirigaya? You...you were one of those kids who beat Sword Art Online back in the day? That game that everyone got trapped in? I actually _have_ heard of you, though I've certainly never met you until now."

"You knew about Sword Art Online?" Kirito asked.

"Yeah, Dr. Hessler's nephew was trapped in the Nerve Gear. Unfortunately, he didn't make it out before you beat the game. My father and he did some research on the after affects of a few European kids who did survive. Of course, my father has been involved in all kinds of experimental tech projects, especially since my sister Anna passed away."

Kirito's eyes widened a bit as he leaned forward.

"But," Alice continued, turning back to the TV again. "I'm not sure what that has to do with the STL or Project Alicization. From what I understood about my father's work was that it was some project to develop more advanced artificial intelligence."

"Then why do you think they put you in the STL for that long?" Kirito asked.

Alice rested her chin on her hands. "Honestly, I don't really know. I guess it could keep a patient in a coma more stable that other medical equipment? Why are you so interested in the STL anyway? Why do you think that because I was in that thing that I would have remembered you?"

"Because," Kirito's voice darkened, "I was in the STL too." He watched as Alice turned to look at him with a shocked look on her face. "So was Eugeo, and Asuna for a little while. There's a connection with all this, Alice. The STL does more than just keep comatose patients stable. It can tap into your very soul, your fluctlights: the pieces that compose it. This is what RATH was studying with the STL. They weren't just creating AI out of zeros and ones: they were copying and translating bits of human soul to create artificial intelligence that is nearly indistinguishable from a human fluctlight, except for the fact that their fluctlights had no physical bodies...or so they would have us think."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Alice turned and moved closer to him. "You're saying they were doing stuff to my soul while I was hooked up to that thing? How do you know that? Why were you in one anyway, you were just an intern!"

"Yeah and the first time I dove in the STL I _was_ just an intern, After that though, I got into some trouble with some bad people and sustained a significant brain injury. They put me in the STL in hopes that they could rehabilitate my mind through fluctlight stimulation. That's exactly what they did to you as well, Alice. There was more to the STL than what you think. They programmed an entire world into it, like Sword Art Online. It was a virtual simulation, a game almost, but practically indistinguishable from the real world unless you dove into it from outside the STL. To the inhabitants it was the only reality they knew. They called it the Underworld. The human race that inhabited it were the artificial fluctlights and their descendants, which originated from the clones of five test subjects that your father's team was able to obtain from an orphanage in Russia. That boy, Eugeo? He was the fifth one. He lived his entire life until about six months ago in the Underworld, in the STL and various versions of the Underworld programming. When I dove into the Underworld, my fluctlight came into contact with his...we were friends." Kirito stopped and took a few panting breaths.

"Alice, _you _were in the Underworld too. I first met you there, two years ago."

The blonde girl stared at him for a moment, the skepticism on her face did not fade, but her eyes had now filled with a mixture or something between anger and fear.

"You're mad," she whispered. "I've never met any of you before. How can you say you know me? Prove it!"

Kirito shook his head. "For some reason, you seem unable to remember."

"Because there's nothing to remember, right?" this time Alice's voice wavered slightly. She leaned forward a little more and grabbed Kirito's wrist.

"I'm not calling you a liar, but this stuff you're talking about...it sounds crazy!"

"Does it though, Alice?" Kirito put his hand on hers for a moment. "Okay, I can't prove definitively how and when I came to know you, but I do. In the Underworld, we were friends."

"_Friends_?"

"Yeah. I didn't realize it until I met Eugeo. Alice, he has no memories of this world. He was taken as a severely brain damaged newborn and put in that machine. When he woke up though, it was like, when I saw him no time had passed since before. I knew who he was, the same Eugeo I had known in the Underworld. I had fought side by side with him and with you...as knights...doesn't any of that jog your memory?"

"_Knights_?" Alice's mouth hung open for a moment. "What do you mean _knights_? Like with swords? What sort of society existed in this Underworld anyway?"

"From what I can remember it was relatively advanced, but the combat style was mostly swords and other similar weapons. The problem is Alice," Kirito looked down and away from her. "My memories of the Underworld aren't very strong. For some reason when I woke up, I lost most of them. I can't remember any other people from there except for Asuna, who I knew in the real world, Eugeo who is also from this world though he never truly existed in it until now, and you. What we figured from that was, you too must have been someone else who existed in this world but was placed in the STL. That's why we came here to find you. Eugeo has the most memories of all of us. For months he had reoccurring dreams with you and me from the Underworld." He broke off again. Perhaps this wasn't the right time to share too much with Alice. Especially when Eugeo was in the state he was currently in.

"You're _mad_," Alice repeated again in a whisper, though it was more to herself than to Kirito. "That's impossible...or is it?" She turned her eyes back towards him.

"Why don't I have any memories from this Underworld then?" A hint of disappointment resounded in her voice.

"I don't know. Asuna had even convinced your father that when you woke up, you like Eugeo and me would have some faint memory or recognize us because of fluctlight interaction. We expected it." He paused again. "Eugeo was hoping for it more than anything."

"The blond boy? Why?" Alice asked.

"Because..." Kirito clasped his hands together and looked at them for a moment before meeting Alice's wide, blue eyes.

"..._you_ were his best friend."

Alice's mouth dropped open for a moment before she covered it with her hand.

"But? I don't even know him!"

"You did. He knew you, Alice. It was the only thing that kept him going. He was convinced that finding you would help bring his memories back. He has nothing in this world. So we were convinced that he was right...I mean he _has _to be right? How could he make all of this stuff up?"

Alice stayed silent then shook her head.

"Yeah," her voice slipped out in a whisper.

"And if he was insane, how did he know your name and what you looked like when he had never met you in this world. He had to have met you in the STL. That's what jogged my memory of you, the blonde girl with the fierce blue stare: Alice Zuberg."

"He knew what I looked like?" Alice asked softly a faint blush tinting her cheeks.

"Yeah, I remember him describing you to me. He was convinced that I would remember Alice Zuberg too. And I did. When I came here to see you, sure I'd never met you in this world, but you looked and talked the same way I remembered from before."

"From the Underworld?" Alice's eyes had grown misty.

"Then why can't I remember, Kazuto? Or perhaps I should just call you Kirito, since apparently I once knew you by that name?"

"That's fine, Alice." Kirito put his hand on her shoulder as the girl rubbed her teary eyes in frustration and gave a huffing sigh.

"I'm sorry. It's just so outlandish. How can I really believe you if I can't even remember?"

"I'm not saying you have to believe me right away," Kirito offered. "I'm just telling you what I know. You're not wrong to question it, but Alice..." he paused as Alice brushed her hair to the side and looked back up at him, her eyes no longer misty.

"I guess I do understand now," she began.

"Understand?" Kirito asked.

"Why Eugeo seemed disappointed," Alice continued. "If I was one of the only people he could remember...and that I couldn't remember him. I guess I would be disappointed too."

Kirito bit his lip. How could he tell Alice everything that Eugeo had suffered? That he was more than disappointed, he was despondent. How could he tell Alice exactly the way Eugeo had described how beautiful, kind and strong she was? And how, now that he was sitting across from her, that everything Eugeo had said was true...and that Eugeo truly and deeply cared for her..._loved_ her.

"Yeah," was all that slipped out of Kirito's lips as he stood up and turned away from Alice, unable to keep the tears from welling up in his eyes.

"Kirito?" Alice's voice was soft.

"Yeah?" Swallowing the lump in his throat and wiping the tears quickly from his eyes, he turned around to face her again.

"I'm sorry."

Alice's entire face looked guilty as she met his gray eyes and then looked away.

"It's not your fault."

"I know, but," Alice sighed. "I want to believe you. But this all seems so incredible, I just...I don't know."

"It's alright."

"But it isn't. For some reason, I came out of that STL without any memories. Do you really think that there's someway to get them back?"

"I don't know Alice." Kirito looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"Would you help me?" The question surprised him and his gaze shot back to Alice.

"I mean, obviously you're not crazy, I've just sat and talked to you this long. A lot of what you're saying makes sense, but a lot of it doesn't. Do you think there's something that my father's team and RATH are hiding from us?"

Kirito's eyebrows rose in shock that Alice would say something like that about her father. But, she wasn't wrong.

"I don't know...but I think that RATH had ulterior motives besides what they outlined in project Alicization when your dad helped them with their research."

"Maybe he didn't know what he was getting into? But, my father is one of the premiere minds in European tech...it couldn't be."

"Even the smartest minds can be conned by those with bad intentions..." Kirito shook his head.

"Then," Alice reached out and took his hand. "What are we supposed to do then? How can I even begin to try and get these memories back...if my father doesn't even know what RATH was really doing?"

Kirito remained in thought for a moment before giving Alice's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Perhaps, I should try to talk to your friend Eugeo again?" Alice piped up. "Maybe if he told me what he told you...I could somehow remember? I don't know..."

"Maybe," Kirito spoke softly. "We'll have to see. We've all been through so much." All he could think of was Eugeo's still form and dull stare from before. How could anyone explain all of that to Alice?

"Yeah," Alice leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "I wish I could just believe everything you're saying, but..." she turned back towards Kirito for a moment. "It's just so crazy, all of this...I think it might take me time..."

"That's okay Alice," Kirito cut in. "Honestly, there's more to this now than even I thought. I just appreciate that you at least listened to what I had to say." He smiled faintly.

"Of course," Alice smiled back. "Like I said...you don't seem crazy." She laughed slightly.

Kirito's grin widened a bit as he turned to leave the room.

"Anyway, I guess I'll see you around then, Alice Zuberg."

"You too, Kazuto Kirigaya...Kirito...and I would like to talk to your friend Eugeo and Asuna again sometime."

Kirito nodded again. "I'll make sure that happens soon. Take care, Alice."

* * *

**I'm splitting chapter 10 from 11 here because it makes more sense. You'll see when it's all posted! Please leave a comment, review, or favorite and follow! THANK YOU :')**

**Chapter 11 is on its way SOON! THANKS FOR READING, FOLLOWING, AND LEAVING REVIEWS! :)**


	11. Chapter 11: Comfort

**Chapter 10 and 11 were sort of written at the same time, but I ended up having to split them apart...it makes more sense for the story. NEVER FEAR! Hope is not lost for Eugeo and Alice. There is so much more to them in this story and it's going to play out so great! The way I've worked this fic involves a growing of their relationship OUTSIDE the STL as well as the search for their forgotten memories. I'm glad to say that starting with this chapter I'm going to be focusing more on the EugeoxAlice aspect of this fic. I appreciate everyone who has stuck with me so far! Thank you thank you for your support!:)**

* * *

**_Comfort_**

* * *

Over the next few days a lot happened at the Zuberg facility. Alice was moved from her hospital room to the main house so she could be closer to her parents. After this happened, she had apparently asked her father and Dr. Hessler if the other three could be given rooms in the main house so they would also feel more at home. She had never cared for the Zuberg Facility much, especially after Anna's death.

Kirito and Asuna were grateful for this because they figured that perhaps this was the first stage of Alice's memories returning.

Eugeo however, didn't seem to change from his unresponsive depression. Even when he was moved to his own sunny room at the corner of the same hallway where Alice, Kirito and Asuna's rooms were. Dr. Hessler had given him some medicine that was supposed to combat the boy's apparent anxiety, but Eugeo remained quiet and still for most of the day, refusing to eat or even drink much of anything. Kirito and Asuna were worried, especially since Eugeo had made so much progress of late. His healthy glow was gone and his face had returned to the gray, hollow state it had been in when they had first found him. When Kirito and Asuna expressed their concerns to Dr. Zuberg, he had Dr. Hessler give Eugeo a series of antidepressants, which after a few days seemed to bring the boy around enough that he was able to get out of bed and drink some water. Kirito was relieved, although Eugeo still seemed unwilling to talk about what had happened. He spent most of the days sitting on the window bench in his room staring out the window with a foggy look in his green eyes. At meal times, he absentmindedly picked at his food and only after fierce encouragement from Kirito was able to eat a decent portion of it.

Throughout this time, Asuna and Kirito also spent time talking to Alice. They didn't mention much about Eugeo, just that he still seemed tired and anxious from the rigorous physical therapy he was undergoing (though in truth, Eugeo hadn't left his room in days). Alice mostly talked to them about school, her classes, and the people she knew, while Kirito and Asuna told her about how they had met in Sword Art Online and how he had come to work with RATH as an intern.

Alice's recovery was much different than Eugeo's partially because she had only been in the STL for two years and also that her father had made sure every treatment she underwent was state of the art. Within the first week, she was able to walk again on her own, though she got tired easily. She also took to normal food and drink much faster than Eugeo had and was soon looking as healthy and vibrant as any nineteen year old would typically appear. Since it was already early spring, she wasn't sent back to school, but spent her days resting and moving freely about the house. Kirito and Asuna were also given free reign of the house and grounds and spent more time in the gardens around Zuberg Manor as the weather continued to get warmer.

* * *

"Eugeo?" Kirito poked his head through the door of his friend's room. As usual, the blond boy was sitting on the window bench, staring wistfully out upon the spring filled landscape below. Kirito entered the room and closed the door softly behind him, walking up and sitting down next to Eugeo by the window. The soft spring breeze blew through the open glass and ruffled Eugeo's blond hair and the curtains on either side of him.

"Eugeo?" Kirito spoke again, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.

For a moment Eugeo was still, his green eyes unblinking as he continued to stare out the window. When the breeze stopped, his bangs fell back in front of his eyes. Giving a small sigh, he closed his eyes for a moment before turning towards Kirito and brushing his hair out of his face.

"Kirito."

His voice was soft and uneasy.

"Eugeo, please, talk to me." Kirito gave the blond's shoulder a squeeze. "We've all been so worried about you, even Alice has been asking..."

Eugeo sighed again and turned his gaze back out through the window, pulling his knees up to his chest and leaning his head against his hands.

"What does she care?" His voice was muffled.

"Eugeo," Kirito moved closer to him and shook his head. "Look, we didn't expect any of what happened to turn out this way...but Eugeo..."

"But what?" the blond remained emotionless.

"I know...I know how much hurt you're feeling. I know it seems hopeless, but Alice...she wanted to talk to you too...there's got to be some explanation for why she forgot."

Eugeo gave a huffing sigh and buried his head against his knees.

"Maybe I'm just crazy."

"You're not crazy, Eugeo," Kirito shook his head again and put his hands on his friend's shoulders, coaxing him to look back up. "You've been through a lot. You've been through more mental trauma than most people have to deal with in their entire lives. But, you can't retreat away like this...you're stronger than this...Eugeo..."

Eugeo stared back at him for a few seconds. It was clear to see the heartbroken look in his eyes, though the rest of his face remained oddly emotionless (something Kirito figured was an affect of the medications Dr. Hessler had been giving him). After another moment or two, Eugeo's gaze darted away and he shifted slightly as if he was uncomfortable. Kirito figured that his friend wouldn't say much more of anything, especially since this was the most he had spoken in days. Standing up and turning to leave, Kirito glanced back over his shoulder. Typically, Eugeo would be staring back out the window but the blond had turned back towards his friend.

"Where are you going?" Eugeo asked.

Kirito put his hand behind his head looking slightly guilty.

"I figured you wanted me to leave you alone. I was going to go outside for a walk."

"Is it nice outside?" Eugeo asked again and then paused. "I mean, are the gardens down there nice?"

"Yes," Kirito answered, a smile spreading over his face. "The grounds around Zuberg Manor are really lovely. Why don't you come and walk with me?"

Eugeo stared back at him for a moment. He seemed puzzled. Kirito shook his head, gave a laughing sigh, and reached out his hand to help his friend to his feet. At first, the blond continued to watch him with a puzzled look, then reached out his bony hand and grabbed Kirito's. Standing shakily to his feet Eugeo put his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor.

"Well?" Kirito asked, keeping his voice soft and even.

"I guess..." Eugeo began, "...I guess going for a walk outside might be nice." He looked back up at Kirito.

"Okay. I think the sunshine and fresh air will do you some good." Kirito walked over to the edge of Eugeo's bed and handed him the sneakers that were sitting discarded on the floor there. Eugeo sat and slipped his feet into them and then remained still for a moment before a shiver ran through him.

"I'm kind of cold."

"Okay, wear your sweatshirt then?" Kirito grabbed the navy blue article of clothing from off the chair in the corner and handed it to Eugeo who pulled it over his head and ran his hands through his hair for a few seconds.

"Alright, let's go then?" Kirito patted Eugeo on the shoulder as the blond stood up and followed him out the room and down the hall.

* * *

The sun felt warm as Eugeo stepped outside, following Kirito down the path into one of the gardens. The breeze here lilted all around and the various spring flowers smelled sweet. As they walked along, Eugeo's look changed from rather sad to curious wonder as he stopped every few paces to look at a different flower or plant. After a while in silence they came upon a tree that was in bloom with large rosy pink and white flowers. Eugeo stopped and gazed up through the branches for a moment before remarking.

"Wow, this is beautiful."

"It's a magnolia tree, they're one of my favorites."

A female voice appeared from somewhere behind them, causing Eugeo to nearly jump as he and Kirito turned to see to whom the voice belonged.

"_Alice_?" Eugeo whispered. His eyes suddenly looked sad again.

The blonde girl was standing a few yards from them, smiling and waving. Her hair was in its typical long braid hanging down around her shoulder and her bangs were pulled aside by a blue handkerchief wrapped around her forehead. She was dressed rather plainly: a cotton blouse, light jeans and white sneakers. As she walked up beside them her face seemed to glow in the warm afternoon sun.

"Hey, Alice!" Kirito smiled back at her, as Eugeo stood next to him unable to say anything else. His eyes darted away towards the ground and he put his hands in his pockets and looked as though he wanted to disappear. He couldn't bear to look Alice straight in the eye...not after before...

"Hi Kirito...and Eugeo...I haven't seen you in a while! You must be feeling better?" Alice's voice fluttered around them like a bird. "It's really a nice day to be out! Aren't the gardens beautiful this time of year? My mother's gardeners do such an excellent job with them. I have to say, the magnolia trees are some of my favorites. It's a shame though; their blossoms don't last very long. At least you get to see them now!"

Kirito agreed while Eugeo nodded rather shyly. Alice turned and began to walk ahead of them calling back over her shoulder.

"Come with me guys, I'll show you the rest of the gardens!" She stopped and put her hands on her hips when they didn't immediately follow her.

"What's wrong? Don't like me or something?"

Kirito laughed slightly and Eugeo's eyes widened a bit.

"No it's not that," he mumbled, kicking his shoe against the ground lightly. Beside him, Kirito playfully punched his shoulder.

"Well sure, but I told Asuna I'd meet her around now. Maybe you two can go on and we'll catch up in a bit? I've seen this garden before, but Eugeo hasn't."

Eugeo's eyes widened a bit more as Kirito chuckled.

"Sure. I'll show you around, Eugeo." Alice's smile was pretty.

"Um," Eugeo began nervously, but Kirito gave him a slight push and whispered. "Go with her, dummy!" before he turned and began walking away, waving over his shoulder.

"See you two later!"

"Okay! Well, let's go Eugeo!" Alice beckoned at him to follow her.

"Alright."

Looking at the ground Eugeo walked after her rather reluctantly at first. His emotions were tangled. Of course he wanted to be near Alice and talk to her, but the pain of her forgetting confused and upset him. Besides that, he suddenly felt unsure of his arms and legs as he scuffled along behind her, keeping his hands in his pockets and his head down slightly.

The two of them walked in silence for a bit before Alice cleared her throat slightly and spoke.

"So, um, how are you liking it here at Zuberg Manor?"

"It's nice." Eugeo glanced up at her. Alice was still smiling, though she also looked a little unsure. He could see it in her eyes.

"That's good. I haven't seen much of you around. You must be feeling better though?" Alice ventured. "Dr. Hessler and my father's team can be pretty intense. It's nice to be able to walk though..." she trailed off into her own rather embarrassed musing. Eugeo watched her for a moment before answering.

"It is. I never thought I would walk on my own."

"Yeah," Alice answered, another smile spreading across her face. "They are a team of great doctors and nurses."

"Mm," Eugeo nodded and let his head hang down a bit as they continued walking. His eyes looked a little sad, but he appeared to be lost in thought.

As they continued to walk through the garden, Alice studied the blond boy next to her at regular intervals. She couldn't help wondering about him. _Who was this mysterious boy who had lived his entire life in the STL?_ It was odd. He seemed like any other person she had ever met. He was a bit taller than her, though the way he walked with his shoulders slumped hid that at first glance. Under his long bangs she could tell that his eyebrows, a slightly darker color than his dirty blond color hair, were also slumped over his eyes, making them look tired and sad. Even in the warm sun, Eugeo appeared to be cold. The oversized sweatshirt only accentuated the fact that he was much too thin and failed to hide the slight shivers that ran through him occasionally. His face was gray and hollow, but Alice mused that if the pale sickliness were taken away, he might actually be quite handsome. His green eyes, partially hidden by long lashes and the fact that his gaze was directed towards the ground, were intriguing to her. Alice had never met anyone with such clear, bright green eyes. Even next to all the spring foliage, they almost seemed unearthly in a sense. But they were so sad. She could tell that he was fighting to hide this in his face, but even as he kept his glance away from her direct blue stare, she could see just how sad his eyes really were.

_What was he thinking? _

_About the memories from the STL? _

_What does he know that I can't remember?_

Alice figured that now might not be the time to ask. But she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Eugeo?"

This time the blond turned towards her and she could get a better look at his face for a moment. In addition to his tired and sickly look, he looked like he desperately wanted to say something but only answered one word.

"Yeah?"

His green eyes bored into her head. This boy, who she had never met before, his sad green stare...Alice paused, unable to finish the question that had been forming in her head.

"Uh, I'm sorry...I forgot what I was going to say..." she felt embarrassed at her words and felt her face redden slightly.

"That's alright," Eugeo answered softly, then surprisingly, added, "You've been through a lot these past few weeks. It's not your fault." For a moment, Alice saw a faint smile cross his face, but it disappeared quickly back into emotionlessness.

"I guess. Although, it's probably up to me to apologize more." Alice's face grew a little redder as she kept regretting the words coming out of her mouth. Up ahead, she spotted a bench that her mother had the gardeners put under a towering willow tree.

"Why don't we sit for a minute?" she tried to change the subject.

Eugeo seemed to agree and nodded. The two of them sat at either end of the bench, nervously quiet, for a few moments.

"I'm sorry," Alice mumbled again.

This time Eugeo didn't answer, but after a few seconds he gave something between a sigh and a laugh. Alice glanced over at him and saw that his eyes were closed in thought. When he opened them to look at her, he forced a weak smile.

"Stop apologizing, Alice. It's not your fault."

Alice glanced back down at her hands for a moment. She was usually so confident. She never apologized for anything. It was something that had gotten her in trouble so many times before. Why now, sitting next to this pale, sad boy that she had never met before, did she find herself unable to retain her typically brash and rebellious demeanor? He didn't want her to apologize. So why should she?

"Okay then," Alice took a deep breath and crossed her arms. "I won't apologize anymore."

"Good, you shouldn't have to," Eugeo answered. "It's really me who should be apologizing to you anyway..."

"Why?"

Eugeo didn't answer her but focused on his shoes and the ground.

"How about this," Alice offered. "Let's just sit here and _not_ apologize. Why don't we just ...talk?"

"About?" Eugeo sounded skeptical.

"Well, whatever, I guess?"

Eugeo turned towards her and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"You want to ask me about before, don't you? That's what Kirito told me."

Alice faltered a bit at this sudden statement. "I mean, I guess...but if you don't want to talk about it...I won't force you."

"I really don't have _that_ many memories, if that's what you wanted to ask me," Eugeo's voice grew monotone again. "Even the stuff I can remember...lately...it's becoming weird and foggy, like I'm not sure if I really remembered or if I dreamt it or something."

"The STL, the Underworld?" Alice asked cautiously.

"Yeah."

"Okay, well if you feel that way I won't ask you right now to tell me about it. We can talk about something else." Alice offered.

Eugeo sighed and shook his head.

"Alright then, but I guess there's not much to say about myself. Honestly, you've really heard most of it already...I was in the STL for a long time..." He turned towards her and gave a sheepish smile.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself then, Alice Zuberg?"

"Okay, well..." Alice started. "Why don't we continue walking then? I'll tell you about these gardens and my family too...it's warmer in the sun..." She had noticed that Eugeo was shivering slightly.

* * *

They spent a good part of the afternoon strolling through the gardens of Zuberg Manor. Alice mostly talked, telling Eugeo about her parents, her sister, and often pointing out the different plants and trees between conversations. He seemed eager to listen to her and didn't ask much, nodding at intervals and sometimes appearing as though he was lost in thought. Alice decided, as she had with Kirito and Asuna, that she liked Eugeo as well. Sure, he was rather quiet and shy, but there was a distinct kindness about him that she couldn't quite figure out. Typically, she wouldn't have given someone so soft and shy much attention, but deep down she was curious to gain his trust...if what he remembered about her... about the STL...if it was true...she wanted to know all of it and what it would mean to her. Kirito had claimed that Alice had been Eugeo's best friend...even if she had never met him in the real world; perhaps there was some truth to that? Was the Eugeo in the STL the same as this skinny, rather timid blond boy? Perhaps. But Alice wondered if there was something hiding deeper beneath his pale exterior and sad bright green eyes.

The two of them spent most of the afternoon outside. A little while later, they met up with Asuna and Kirito who were happy to see Alice and Eugeo together, though Eugeo mostly remained rather quiet and shy. When Alice had shown them the grounds around Zuberg Manor, she took them through the house, showing them the various portraits of family members and telling them about the history of the house. At one point they came across Mrs. Zuberg, who was directing the maids in the main study. She was so happy to see Alice up and about with friends that she invited them all down for a grand dinner later that evening. At this point, Eugeo would have rather slipped away to be by himself, an overwhelming feeling had come over him after spending time with Alice, Kirito and Asuna. It wasn't that he was completely unhappy, but the fact that Alice, though she was perfectly friendly and hospitable to them all, didn't remember him bothered him greatly. Of course, he knew it wasn't Alice's fault, but the stress of the entire situation had worn on him. As it was, the only people he had in this world were Kirito, Asuna, and Alice, and because of his strong feelings towards the girl, which he continued to hide, the stress only grew greater when he wondered if she would ever remember him again.

After dinner, Eugeo finally went to his room to rest. Alice sat with Kirito and Asuna for a while before she too grew tired and excused herself to her own room. When she was finally alone, she collapsed on her bed, tired from the amount of walking she had done during the day. Her mind wondered slightly about what Eugeo had said and wondered if he would eventually tell her the memories he had, but she was too tired to dwell on it for long. She fell asleep easily, the soft evening breeze lilting through her room with its soothing zephyrs.

* * *

"Huh?"

Alice's eyes opened and she found herself staring at the ceiling of her moonlight-bathed room. Shifting onto her side, she rested her head back on her pillow and tried to close her eyes again. She suddenly felt no longer tired, but fully awake.

"Ugh!"

Shifting again, this time onto her stomach, Alice pulled one of her pillows over her head and shut her eyes tightly.

_"Go back to sleep!"_

She remained still for a few moments before the urge to move overcame her and she sat up and threw her pillow to the side, giving an exasperated sigh. Looking around her room, she noted the moonlight falling across the end of her bed and the floor. Turning to gaze at her clock she read the time and sighed.

_2:05am_

_"Ugh!"_

Getting up slowly, she paced to her window, gazing down at the moonlit garden below before walking back to the edge of her bed and staring at it, hoping she would start to feel sleepy again. But the feeling didn't come. Sighing again, Alice turned, pulled a sweater on and crept out into the hallway. It was quiet and moonlit out here too. The curtains had been pulled back from the windows, most likely to let the afternoon sun in. Perhaps the maids had forgotten to come back and close them when evening fell? Either way, Alice was grateful for the soft light as she began pacing up to the other end of the long hallway, trying to focus her mind on becoming tired.

Turning the corner, she paused for a second as she thought she heard something other than herself. Was her mind fooling her? Alice shook her head and continued to walk, only to stop suddenly at the sight of another shadow falling across the carpeted hall and leading her eyes up to the window beyond it.

"Eugeo?" Alice whispered as she caught sight of the thin blond boy standing by the window gazing out into the moonlit landscape beyond. He was no longer in the heavy sweatshirt he had been wearing earlier in the day, just a plain tee shirt and pajama pants. Alice took note of how thin and bony his arms and shoulders were.

At first he didn't answer her as Alice approached him and stood next to him by the window.

"Eugeo?"

Not turning to face her the boy mumbled.

"Oh, hi Alice."

"Can't sleep either?" Alice asked, trying to see what he was looking at outside.

"I guess."

As she looked closer at him she saw that his eyes were a bit foggy and unfocused, though he didn't seem outwardly upset. Alice shrugged her shoulders.

"It's weird...sleeping that is...I used to sleep all through the night and not want to get up in the morning...now it's like I can't focus enough to sleep? Does that sound weird?"

"No," Eugeo answered. "I've felt it too after I came out of the STL. Lately it's been worse...I can't sleep at all..." He sighed.

"That sucks, aren't you tired?" Alice asked.

"I don't know," Eugeo's voice faded. "I've been pacing out here for a while."

"Me too," Alice remarked. "We could walk together, you know. Keep each other company."

"Alright," Eugeo muttered and turned to follow Alice up to the end of the hall.

They walked up and down the hall in silence for a while, Eugeo setting a rather slow pace. Alice mused to herself: _perhaps it's an after affect of the coma, medicine, something else? I wonder what he's thinking?_ Her mind wandered again.

"Alice?" Eugeo was the one to finally break the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?" He didn't look at her and turned towards the windows again.

"Sure, what?" Alice stood next to him trying to follow his gaze.

"Do you...really not remember...anything from before?" Eugeo's voice wavered slightly.

Alice paused for a few moments before answering him, choosing her words carefully.

"I wish I could."

Eugeo didn't respond, but continued to stare out the window. Alice watched him to see if any change came over his face, but he didn't move save for the slow blinking of his green eyes beneath his bangs.

"Could you...tell me what you remember?" Alice ventured another question, keeping her voice soft. "I'd like to know..." she broke off wondering if she would upset him.

Eugeo glanced over at her and didn't immediately reply before turning back to the window and quietly answering.

"You...were...my _friend_."

The words were barely audible.

"I was?" Alice coaxed.

Eugeo nodded slightly.

"Well?"

The blond boy gave a small huff and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Kirito told me that too. He said we were best friends," Alice whispered. "Were we?"

"Yes," Eugeo's voice choked and stopped before he could form any more words.

Alice looked at him for a moment. He was so pale and sad that it made her feel guilty. She didn't _not_ believe him...but since she couldn't remember...

Reaching out, Alice brushed her hand lightly against Eugeo's. It was ice cold. Beside her the blond boy had gone silent and unresponsive again. His eyes were now clearly unfocused and his lip trembled slightly.

"Eugeo?" Alice asked, trying to reach out for his hand again. However, Eugeo pulled it away and crossed his arms against his chest, as if he had suddenly become cold.

"Hey, are you alright?" Alice asked when he still wouldn't respond. His face was typically pale, but now even in the moonlight, Alice could tell that it had gone white.

"What's wrong?"

Eugeo shook his head and turned to walk down the hall.

"Eugeo! Wait!" Alice followed after him as the boy trudged in the opposite direction they had come. Each step he took became slower and slower as his shoulders hunched and his head hung down a little.

"Hey, what's wrong with you!" Alice caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder. Eugeo stopped suddenly and again didn't answer her, but Alice could feel that he was trembling.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Alice drew closer to him, trying to meet his eyes. But the boy turned his head away as the trembling increased slightly.

"Yeah," he finally got the words out. "I'm..._fine_." His eyes unfocused again and he bit down on his bottom lip a little, pulling his arms closer against himself.

"Do you feel cold?" Alice remarked. Then she turned to look at the door they were standing by, on the opposite end of the hallway from hers.

"Is this your room? Maybe you should get a sweater or something?"

Eugeo again didn't answer, then let his arms fall to his side suddenly. Taking a step away from Alice he gave a jerky shiver and ran his hands through his hair. His face was nearly as white as his shirt.

"Eugeo?" Alice asked again, this time her voice had a hint of worry. "You're not okay, are you?"

The blond ignored her once again, pausing as he ran his hands through his hair for a third time. Giving a loud sigh, he glanced over his shoulder back at her. His eyes had a strange look in them.

"Just...leave me alone..." he stepped away from Alice again and reached for the door of his room.

"Wait, what?" Alice tried to stop him but Eugeo threw a dark glare at her and pushed her hand out of the way with his. Not only was his hand cold, but Alice could see he was physically shaking now.

"Eugeo, wait!" Alice tried to follow him, but the boy slammed the door in her face leaving Alice stunned for a few moments before she was able to collect herself.

"What the fuck?" she muttered, a slight feeling of anger overcoming her.

"_How could he be so rude_? _One minute he's claiming we were best friends and the next he's slamming a door in my face? What an ass!_ "

Before she turned to go though, she paused.

_"He looked so pale. Something must be wrong?"_

Against her better judgment, Alice reached out and turned the doorknob, letting herself into the room beyond. She caught sight of Eugeo immediately: he was sitting, huddled up on the window bench opposite the bed. He didn't look at her as Alice walked up to him and gave his shoulder a slight shake.

"Why'd you slam the door in my face?" she asked trying not to sound annoyed.

This time Eugeo glanced up at her and Alice stepped back in surprise. His eyes were so wide and his pupils so small that his entire eye seemed green and glowing in the moonlight. His eyebrows were raised as if he was startled but his mouth was quivering and he was biting his lip so hard that it had started to bleed. He was shivering uncontrollably.

"Eugeo? What the hell?" Alice placed her other hand on his shoulder and tried to steady the shaking blond. For a moment he appeared as if he hadn't even seen her, his eyes remained unfocused even though Alice was right in front of him. After a few seconds he gave a gasp and tried to push her weakly away from him.

"Leave me alone!" his voice sounded just as shaky as his entire frame.

"Eugeo what's wrong?" Alice asked again as the boy pulled away from her, his face almost green it was so pale.

"Just leave...me..._alone_."

Eugeo's voice grew hoarse and disappeared as he stood shakily to his feet so suddenly that Alice was forced to take a few steps back. Shaking his head and running his hands through his hair, Eugeo closed his eyes and gave a small gasp before sinking to his knees in a trembling pile in front of her.

"Eugeo!" Alice immediately knelt down beside him and grabbed his shoulder, but the shaking Eugeo didn't respond and his breaths had become quick and shallow, his whole body reeling with each one.

"Hey, try and calm down...what's gotten into you? Are you sick?" Alice pleaded quietly with him as Eugeo shrank away from her and covered his face with his hands for a moment. His breaths grew quicker and shallower with each gasp as his whole body shuddered.

Alice backed away from him slightly before she realized something. The way Eugeo was hunched, his whole body heaving to the point of hyperventilation.

His pale face and cold hands.

She had seen this before.

_Anna_.

"Eugeo, listen to me," she reached out towards him again. "I think you're panicking, please listen to me!" She tried to touch him but he shied away again and gave something between a gulp and a gasp that made her hair stand on end.

"You need to calm down!" Alice moved right in front of him and grabbed his shoulders before the boy could push her away. "It's panic, it will pass! My sister used to get like this when she first got sick...try to breathe."

Letting his hands fall from his face, Eugeo's unfocused gaze came back into view and he seemed to mouth something inaudible to her, a small amount of blood still oozing from his bottom lip. Alice took a deep breath and shook the trembling boy slightly before speaking again.

"You have to try and calm down! This will pass...just breathe! Just try to breathe a little slower...You're going to make yourself sick or faint or something..." As her nervous voice trailed off again, Eugeo lurched forward, nearly knocking Alice backwards before staggering to his feet and stumbling away from her across the room.

"Eugeo? Eugeo!" Alice spun around and went to follow him as the panicked boy wobbled through the door to the bathroom and out of sight.

"Hey!" Alice got up and nearly leaped across the room after him, stopping in the doorway as she heard him give an ugly wretch.

"Eugeo?" her voice lowered to a whisper. Stepping through the doorway, she found the trembling blond heaving his guts up. His bony shoulders lurched with each gag and cough he gave.

Alice gave a slow sigh. How many times had she stood in this same spot at school, watching one of her friends clinging to the toilet or sink after too much to drink? Even when Anna had been sick, Alice remembered standing outside the door as her mother sat with the chemo sickened Anna for hours on end, as her sister couldn't keep any food down. This scene was no different; but Alice didn't feel annoyed or scared like she had before...she felt sad. Her friends had been stupid; her sister had been innocent...but had a mother, father, and Alice to care for her. This boy however, had nothing...no connections to this world...no mother...father...home...

Alice wiped a tear from her eye and sniffled slightly as she knelt down next to Eugeo who had given a dry heave and gone silent. His body was still trembling, though not nearly as fiercely as before. Between heaves, his breaths had become longer and more gasping and as Alice touched his shoulder slightly, he still felt ice cold, though she could see beads of sweat on his forehead.

Standing up, Alice went to the sink and took one of the small towels from the side and ran it under warm water for a few moments before wringing it out and kneeling back down next to Eugeo.

"Hey," she nudged him slightly. "Look at me for a minute, let me wipe your face off...You're in kind of bad shape..." She brushed his bangs back as he gave another dry heave and then seemed to relax slightly. Alice nudged him again and when he didn't immediately respond, she tugged his shoulder slightly to get him to bring his head up. His green eyes were shut tightly and though his face still looked terribly white, it no longer had the ghastly green tint from before.

"I don't think there's anything left for you to puke up now," Alice said softly, wiping his face with the warm cloth and helping him from his knees to a sitting position beside her. Eugeo gave a hard sigh and put his head in his hands for a moment, still shuddering.

"Breathe," Alice commanded him gently. "If you keep gasping like that you'll hyperventilate again...just _breathe_. In and out..." she took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it sigh out. "Like that, see?"

Eugeo tried to copy her, but he could hardly take a breath in and hold it through his shudders.

"It's a panic attack, I promise it _will_ pass," Alice reassured him again. "Maybe you should lay down or something, _breathe Eugeo_." She nudged him as the boy gave another gasp and gagged slightly.

"Look at me," Alice spoke quietly, but firmly. Eugeo tilted his head up slightly and met her gaze. He really did look awful; his eyes were watery and glazed over and his lip was still bleeding slightly. Giving a slow blink his eyes came back into focus and he stared at her for a moment, a faint look of embarrassment crossing his face.

"Breathe," Alice repeated again as he took a breath in, held it through his shaking for a few moments and exhaled in a loud sigh as he suddenly leaned his head against her shoulder. The sudden movement caused Alice to stutter in surprise. For a moment she didn't know how to respond, then she dropped the towel she was holding and wrapped her arms around the blond in a firm hug.

"You'll be alright, I promise. This will pass."

She could feel Eugeo nod against her slightly.

"You should lie down. If you haven't been sleeping well that can cause this kind of thing too...come on, stand up...I've got you..." She helped him shakily to his feet. Eugeo gave her a sheepish glance as Alice swung his arm over her shoulder and walked him back out into the bedroom. When they stood by the side of the bed, Alice let go of Eugeo who swayed slightly, but remained standing next to her. Alice stepped back and looked him over for a moment.

"You've got some blood and puke on your shirt. You can't get into bed like that," she reached her hand out to him. "Take it off."

Eugeo's eyes darted away from her and he looked down, slightly embarrassed.

"Come on you don't want to get it on the blankets," Alice tapped his shoulder.

Mumbling something incoherent, Eugeo shakily pulled his shirt over his head and held it out to Alice with another sheepish look on his face. Alice was surprised how emaciated he looked; his ribs were clearly visible, but she tried not to stare as she grabbed the shirt out of his hand and tossed it aside. Eugeo was now clutching himself, still looking cold and rather scared. Leaning forward Alice pulled back the blankets.

"Lie down, you'll feel better."

Eugeo took a step forward before melting onto the bed and curling up his knees against his chest, his body still quivering.

"Better?" Alice asked, pulling the blankets up over his shoulder. Eugeo didn't answer but Alice thought she saw him nod slightly. Letting her shoulders relax, Alice turned and went back into the bathroom, flushing the toilet and tossing the small wet towel aside. Then she stood, looking at herself in the mirror for a moment; her own face now looked pale and tired. Shaking her head, she splashed a little water on her face and wiped it on her sleeve before she returned back to Eugeo's bedside to check on him again.

"Eugeo, are you awake?" she whispered. His trembling shoulder answered the question before Alice could ask again. She sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Look, I'm going to sit here with you until you calm down, okay?" Going around to the other side, she climbed on top of the covers and swung her feet up onto the bed. Reaching over she placed her left hand on Eugeo's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Breathe, Eugeo. Breathe," she murmured and felt him nod in reply. Alice took her own deep breath and leaned back against the pillows, her eyes fixed on the ceiling and her hand still resting on Eugeo's shoulder. After a while, she felt his shaking ease up a bit and turned towards him to see if he had fallen asleep. His eyes were closed but Alice could tell by the pattern of his breathing that he was still trying to fight off the anxiety and panic that had overtaken him. She felt bad. After a few more moments, her hand moved from his shoulder and she began to absentmindedly run her hand through his hair...like she had done to comfort Anna all those years ago.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this," she whispered half to herself, half to him as her hand fell through his hair and brushed against his cold cheek.

"Alice," he finally muttered a reply that startled her slightly.

"Eugeo," she whispered back. "Try and relax, okay? You'll be alright...I promise..." Giving a sudden yawn, Alice felt overcome by the sleep she had been fighting for before. She let her hand rest next to Eugeo's and turned to lean her head against her right shoulder.

"_I'll just rest my eyes for a minute."_

But as soon as she closed them, she had fallen asleep.

* * *

**I got a little misty eyed writing the end of this chapter. Poor Eugeo. But Alice protecc him 3**

**Typically you wouldn't confront someone who is having a panic attack...but Alice is bossy...and deep down she DOES care. I'm really looking forward to writing more of her and Eugeo in the upcoming chapters. They really are my OTP. AlicexEugeo FOREVERRRRRR!**

**Next up: Chapter 12 Recollection**

**O.O**


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